Ali, Emu and me

Sir Michael Parkinson looks back at the highlights from his famous talk show

- IAN MACEWAN, RICHARD MCCLURE

NEW FACTUAL

Parkinson at 50

Saturday, BBC1 HD, 8.30 pm

Fifty years ago, Sir Michael Parkinson introduced the very first guest on his BBC1 talk show, Parkinson. Now, in the one-off documentary Parkinson at 50, the 86-year-old Yorkshireman marks the anniversary by looking back on what he calls ‘the best job in television’, which saw him interview more than 2,000 celebrities.

The show attracted some of the biggest stars of the day, and there were memorable encounters with the likes of Muhammad Ali, Rod Hull and Emu, Meg Ryan and perennial favourite Sir Billy Connolly.