Broadcaster Michael Parkinson has sadly passed away aged 88

Chat show host and broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson has died at the age of 88, his family has confirmed.

A statement from his 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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Parkinson was born in the village of Cudworth in South Yorkshire in 1935.

After getting a job collating sports results on the local paper he landed a role at the Manchester Guardian, which later became The Guardian, before moving to London to join the Daily Express.

Parkinson began his television career as TV producer for Granada and then Thames TV before getting his own chat show with the BBC.

In 1971 his eponymous talk show began its run, where Parkinson would go on to interview countless celebrities over the course of his career, according to his own estimation.

The show initially ran on the BBC from 1971 to 1982. It was then relaunched on the BBC in 1998 before being moved over to ITV in 2004, where it remained until the retired the show in 2007.

On his final show, he said it had been a 'privilege to meet some of the most intelligent and interesting people' and said he would miss his time on TV.

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His interviewing style moved away from a formal setup with frequent interruptions to a more relaxed and conversational approach which put his guests at ease.

Over the years this led to some extraordinary interviews, including several encounters with Muhammad Ali.

There was also a side-splitting interview with comedian and magician Tommy Cooper, in which even seasoned professional Parkinson could barely hold in his laughter.

The broadcaster received a number of accolades for his work over the years, including a knighthood in 2008.

In 2013, Parkinson revealed that he had been receiving radio therapy treatment for prostate cancer. He confirmed that he received the all clear two years later.

Parkinson is survived by his wife Mary and their three children Andrew, Nicholas, and Michael Jr.