Parkinson began in 1971 when the host was offered a series of twelve shows by the BBC's Head of Light Entertainment, Bill Cotton.

It was to be transmitted during the "summer lull"[2] in a late-night slot on Saturdays (which continued throughout its run), plus from 1979 a second mid-week edition when the series was on air.

The ITV version of the programme, produced by Granada, debuted in September 2004, with an identical set, theme tune and format to the BBC edition.

The series welcomes top-flight guests from across the artistic spectrum and, in his inimitable style, gains a fascinating and intimate insight into their careers via one-on-one interviews.

He finds out how they have honed and perfected their techniques and abilities throughout their careers, and episodes also feature unique performances from the guests to demonstrate the work for which they have become so well-known.

The audience is made up of the general public and students from a vast array of disciplines specially selected to gain insight into the subjects.

Initially Bill Cotton was keen on a format more akin to the USA's Ed Sullivan Show, featuring entertainment and chat.

However, Parkinson and his producer, Richard Drewett (who had worked on Late Night Line-Up), envisaged a combination of guests whose celebrity had been achieved in different fields.

The pair wanted to move the style as far as possible from the American prototype, even down to the removal of the host's desk, which Parkinson viewed as the "biggest obstacle to a proper interview".

[6] By his own reckoning, Parkinson interviewed over 2,000 of the world's most famous people,[7] including: Anthony Hopkins, Barry White, Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, Ben Elton, Bette Midler, Billie Piper, Billy Connolly, Bing Crosby, Bob Hawke, Bob Hope, Bonnie Tyler, Buddy Rich, Cameron Diaz, Celine Dion, Cher, Clint Eastwood, Dame Edna Everage, Daniel Craig, Dave Allen, David Attenborough, David Beckham, David Bowie, David Tennant, Denzel Washington, Diana Ross, Dudley Moore, Dustin Hoffman, Edith Evans, Elaine Stritch, Elton John, Eric Idle, Ewan McGregor, Freddie Starr, Gary Glitter, Gene Wilder, George Best, George Michael, Geri Halliwell, Gough Whitlam, Gillian Anderson, Harold Wilson, Helen Mirren, Ingrid Bergman, Jack Lemmon, Jennifer Lopez, Jeremy Clarkson, Joan Collins, Joan Rivers, John Cleese, John Lennon, Jon Pertwee, Judi Dench, Julie Andrews, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet, k.d.

lang, Kenneth Williams, Leslie Thomas, Liberace, Luciano Pavarotti, Madonna, Malcolm Fraser, Mark Knopfler, Mel Gibson, Michael Caine, Michael Crawford, Michael Palin, Miss Piggy, Morecambe and Wise, Muhammad Ali, Naomi Campbell, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Noel Gallagher, Oliver Reed, Olivia Newton-John, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney, Paul Schrader, Peter Cook, Peter Kay, Peter Sellers, Peter Ustinov, Phil Collins, Pierce Brosnan, Raquel Welch, Ray Winstone, Richard Attenborough, Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Ricky Hatton, Robbie Coltrane, Robin Williams, Robert Redford, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Barker, Rowan Atkinson, Sandra Bullock, Sarah, Duchess of York, Sean Connery, Shane Warne, Sharon Osbourne, Shirley MacLaine, Simon Cowell, Thierry Henry, Tina Turner, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Tom Lehrer, Tommy Cooper, Tony Blair, Trevor McDonald, Victoria Beckham, Viggo Mortensen, and Walter Matthau.

While the pair were chatting, Hull's glove puppet, Emu, continually and (apparently) uncontrollably attacked the interviewer, eventually causing him to fall off his chair.

My thanks go out to all those who have worked on the shows down the years and the viewers for their loyal support and occasional kind words.The last regular Parkinson programme (the penultimate of the final series) was broadcast on ITV on 16 December 2007.