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We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice Tributes have been paid to veteran broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson after his death on Wednesday night aged 88. The BBC chat show legend passed away "peacefully" surrounded by his loved ones, his family confirmed in a statement to the BBC on Thursday morning. The journalist was known for his legendary interviews with stars including David Bowie, John Lennon, Dame Helen Mirren US star Meg Ryan, Muhammad Ali and Billy Connolly. 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." Read More Related Articles Sir Michael Parkinson dead: BBC chat show legend dies aged 88 Read More Related Articles Jacqueline Jossa sets off heated debate after sharing daughters' school shoes Fans, friends and celebrity colleagues paid tribute to the star in the wake of his passing. The director-general of the BBC paid tribute to Sir Michael Parkinson as “the king of the chat show” and an “incredible broadcaster and journalist”. In a statement, Tim Davie said: “Michael was the king of the chat show and he defined the format for all the presenters and shows that followed. “He interviewed the biggest stars of the 20th century and did so in a way that enthralled the public. Michael was not only brilliant at asking questions, he was also a wonderful listener. “Michael was truly one of a kind, an incredible broadcaster and journalist who will be hugely missed.” Fellow BBC star Lord Alan Sugar told followers on Twitter, now known as X, it was the "end of an era". He said:"Very sad news on the passing of Michael Parkinson . End of a era RIP." BBC presenter Nick Robinson tweeted: “He was the greatest interviewer of our age who owned Saturday night TV for year after year.” GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes said: "Parky . King of The Chat Show Hosts . A privilege to know him on and off screen and to learn from him . They don't make them like that anymore. Rip Sir Michael Parkinson." Comic Eddie Izzard added: "Very sad to hear that Michael Parkinson has left us. He was the king of the intelligent interview." The Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, called Parkinson a “broadcasting giant who set a gold standard for the television interview”. She added: “He spent his life entertaining millions of us with his Saturday night talk show & was one of our most treasured TV personalities. “My thoughts are with Michael’s family & friends.” Comedian Stephen Fry hailed the presenter as a "genius", adding: “The genius of Parky was that (unlike most people (and most of his guests, me included) he was always 100% himself. On camera and off. “Authentic” is the word I suppose. “For one of the shows I was on with Robin Williams, a genius of unimaginable comic speed and brilliance. Now they’re both gone. “One should get used to the parade of people constantly falling off the edge, but frankly one doesn’t. So long #parky.” Sir Michael became a familiar face on both the BBC and ITV because of his intimate celebrity interviews, most notably on the BBC show Parkinson. Parkinson first aired on the BBC on June 19 1971, and enjoyed a successful run until 1982. In 1998, the chat show was revived on the BBC and proved an instant hit. It switched from the BBC to ITV1 in 2004 and ran until 2007 – the same year Sir Michael retired from his Sunday morning Radio 2 programme. Before his TV career, he started life as an only child, growing up in a council house in the coalmining village of Cudworth, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Top showbiz news Holly 'abandoned' Phil Royals send passive aggressive message Rylan 'just got married' Tommy Fury moves out As a teenager, his father, a miner, took him down the pit to put him off working there. When his dreams of playing cricket for Yorkshire were dashed, he left school aged 16 and began working at a local paper, later joining the Manchester Guardian and then the Daily Express. His first TV job was as a producer at Granada, and he later moved to Thames TV, before landing his chat show Parkinson at the BBC. He was knighted by the late Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2008, and said of the accolade: “I never expected to be knighted – I thought there was more chance of me turning into a Martian really.” In 2013, he spoke openly about being diagnosed with prostate cancer following a routine health check. He had three sons with wife Mary, who he married in 1959. Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here . Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Daily Record Facebook Twitter Comment More On BBC Michael Parkinson