Sir Michael Parkinson breaks down in tears and opens up about his dad’s death 44 years ago
He told Piers Morgan how former coal miner Jack passed away in 1975
SIR Michael Parkinson broke down in tears during a telly interview describing his dad’s death 44 years ago.
The chat show legend, 84, suddenly began sobbing as he told how former coal miner Jack passed away in 1975.
Parky had described his dad’s disease-racked body to Piers Morgan, 54, while a guest on his Life Stories show on ITV. Jack died of crippling lung-related condition pneumoconiosis.
Piers said of his chat with Parky: “He described seeing people in the house and told the story of people arriving to take his father’s body away — and how small his father’s body looked.
“And then he suddenly broke down. I think he was as surprised as I was and the audience were.
"We haven’t seen him like that. He’s a stiff upper lip, tough Northern gritty guy.”
In The Sun’s TV mag today, Good Morning Britain host Piers adds: “I was staggered.
"But only because of the length of time since his father died.
!I wasn’t expecting him to be so raw about it.”
Parky previously told how Jack died thinking him a “failure” after the young Michael was turned down by Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
He said: “It took my father years to recover.
"It was the ambition of every Yorkshire dad that his son should play for the county, and thus become immortal.”
The Life Stories chat is due on TV on Saturday June 1 at 10pm.
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