Helen Mirren is interviewed by Michael Parkinson in 1975
Sir Michael Parkinson, who has died aged 88, was branded a “sexist old fart” by actress Dame Helen Mirren following her interview with him.
Dame Helen was interviewed on his show Parkinson back in 1975 when she was a thriving 30-year-old actress.
However, Sir Michael introduced the actress on the show as the “sex queen” of the Royal Shakespeare Company before quoting a critic’s description of her as projecting “sluttish eroticism”.
Sir Michael later asked Dame Helen if her “equipment” distracted audiences and if serious actresses can have “big bosoms”.
The actress later called him “sexist” and described the interview as “enraging”.
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He never fully apologised for the interview, but addressed it during a 2019 appearance on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.
Sir Michael said: “I feel it’s of its time, and of its time it’s embarrassing. It was over the top, absolutely so.”
When Piers suggested the comments were sexist, the veteran broadcaster replied: “Well, maybe. But nobody got hurt, nobody died.”
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Sir Michael interviewed some of Hollywood’s biggest names throughout his successful career – with names such as Jimmy Cagney, Fred Astaire, Lauren Bacall and Ingrid Bergmann on the list.
His hit chat show first aired on the BBC on June 19 1971 and ran until 1982.
In 1998, the programme was revived on the BBC and proved an instant hit with viewers.
It moved from the BBC to ITV in 2004 before the final episode aired in 2007, the same year Sir Michael retired from his Radio Two programe.
Sir Michael died on Wednesday evening with his loved ones by his side.
A statement from Sir Michael’s family said: “After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family.
“The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve.”
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