Netizens have expressed their anger over the decision taken, and brutally slammed Hammer

Sir Michael Parkinson, one of the country’s most celebrated broadcasters and talk show hosts, has died at the age of 88, his family told the BBC. 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.” The television broadcaster has been remembered as the “king of the chat show” with a career spanning seven decades. He is perhaps best known for his eponymous talk show, Parkinson, during which he interviewed an estimated 2,000 famous guests, including the boxer Muhammad Ali, footballer George Best and comedian Sir Billy Connolly. Tributes from across the world of TV and beyond have poured in for the “titan of television”. BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson wrote on X: “He was the greatest interviewer of our age who owned Saturday night TV for year after year.” Comic Matt Lucas, said: “Sir Michael Parkinson was a titan of television, the ultimate chat show host. We’ll never forget his brilliant interviews with Muhammad Ali, Dame Edna, Billy Connolly and, of course, ‘that bloody emu’.” Dara Ó Briain praised the “consummate pro” that Parkinson was, writing: “I had the privilege of doing the Michael Parkinson show 3 times and it the most I ever felt like I was in ‘proper showbiz’. He was a consummate pro on-screen, and generous and encouraging off-screen.” Actor Eddie Izzard wrote: “Very sad to hear that Michael Parkinson has left us. He was the king of the intelligent interview.” 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.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield has given his first set of media interviews since his departure from the ITV daytime show and his revelation that he had an affair with a younger male colleague in comments made in May. In a statement issued to The Daily Mail last week, the broadcaster confirmed he had a “consensual on-off relationship” with the individual and while it was “unwise”, it was “not illegal” and is “now over”. “I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. “I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife,” he said. When asked by The Sun if he “groomed” the young co-worker, Schofield – who vaped during the interview – said he “did not” and that there were “accusations of all sorts of things”. A lengthier conversation, though, came in the form of a 45-minute long interview with the BBC’s Media Editor, Amol Rajan, which aired on Friday. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter If you’re in a hurry, here’s the key lines from the powerful interview. 1. “I understand how Caroline Flack felt” With Rajan starting the discussion by asking Schofield how he was, Schofield referenced the late ITV presenter who died by suicide in February 2020 following intense tabloid coverage of her life. She had been charged with assaulting her boyfriend after an altercation in December 2019, and left her role presenting the ITV2 reality show Love Island. Schofield said: “Last week, if my daughters hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here. They guarded me and wouldn’t let me out of their sight. “It’s like a weird numbness. I know that’s a selfish point of view, but you come to a point where you just think, ‘how much are you supposed to take? “’If all of those people who write all of that stuff, do they ever think that there’s actually a person at the other end?’” 2. “Do you want me to die?” In further comments about the “relentless” remarks made about him online and in the media, Schofield said: “If you don’t think that is going to have the most catastrophic effect on someone’s mind… Do you want me to die? “Because that’s where I am. I have lost everything. “My girls saved my life … Last week, they haven’t left me for a moment. They’ve been by my side every moment, because they’re scared to let me out of their sight. “They said to me, ‘don’t you dare do this on our watch. We’re supposed to be looking after you.’ “If my girls hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here, because I don’t see a future. And so how much do you want a man to take? “And this is how Caroline Flack felt, and it didn’t stop.” 3. His message to Holly Willoughby On the same day he “put the statement up” – suggesting it was the one posted to his Instagram Story announcing his departure from This Morning, rather than the one to the Mail – Schofield wrote to his former co-presenter on WhatsApp. He said: “I know you can’t reply, or you’re probably not allowed to, but please know that I am so desperately, desperately sorry.” He added that she did not reply to the message, said he did not see their relationship as broken and that he does not “have a problem with Holly at all” 4. The “homophobia” behind the scrutiny Referring to “new friends” he has made off the back of the scandal, Schofield revealed one “very prominent public figure” phoned him to say they had “never seen such homophobia in my life”. He continued: “If it’s a gay relationship, then suddenly it raises eyebrows. It’s wrong. People do find each other attractive in different age groups.” The broadcaster said the fact it has become “so massive” is “predominantly homophobic” and that he has become a “victim of hate”. 5. “We were mates” Explaining why he agreed to the BBC interview, Schofield said: “There is an innocent person here who didn’t do anything wrong, who is vulnerable, and probably feels like I do.” He confirmed he was paying for legal advice for the unnamed younger man, and last spoke to him a “couple of weeks” ago to instruct lawyers for him. The individual – who was 15 at the time - was followed by Schofield on Twitter following a visit to the school, and the presenter said “there has not been any whiff of impropriety” on the social media platform, where he follows more than 11,000 people. He went on to add that the man was 20 when Schofield first had sexual contact with him. “He’d been working with the show for a few months and we became mates – we were mates, around the studios, we hung out together. “And then, in my dressing room one day, something happened … It happened maybe four or five times over the next few months. “We weren’t boyfriends, we weren’t in a relationship,” Schofield said, and went on to say he did not love him. 6. “I’ve never abused my power in any way” When asked by Rajan if what was “morally wrong” about the situation was that there was an “abuse of power”, Schofield replied to say he has “never abused my power in any way” and that he is “not a bully”. The conversation soon moved to the work environment at ITV and comments made by Dr Ranj Singh, at which point the presenter stressed: “There is no toxicity, there is no bullying, there is no discrimination at This Morning. “All I see are angry people shouting about a show they’re not on anymore.” Schofield also denied the young man frequently came to his flat and that claims from Eamonn Holmes that he was taxied from the presenter's home are “utterly untrue”. ”He came to the flat once. To my recollection, he didn’t stay over. “He said he was passing. He came for a beer,” he said. 7. “The lie got too big” After Rajan questioned why the scandal has come out now, Schofield said: “It got too big. The lie got too big for both of us.” He added it was his “biggest, sorriest secret”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Andrew Tate says Adin Ross should know better before making comments on genders

Happy first day of (meteorological) summer!

Head to the Google homepage today and you’ll see a flame-haired woman gazing into the distance. The Doodle was created in honour of German actress Renate Krößner, who would have turned 78 today. Krößner was propelled to international stardom after playing the titular role in Solo Sunny – a 1980 East German film about a rebellious singer, which struck a chord with audiences around the world. Her performance was met with universal critical acclaim, earning her the Best Actress Silver Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival — the first for an East German production. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For the uninitiated, Germany was split into East and West from 1945-1990: the western bloc was led by the US and the eastern bloc by the USSR, and life on the two sides couldn’t have been more different. The West was a liberal democracy, while the East was essentially a communist state. Permission had to be granted to anyone who wished to leave the socialist territory, which Krößner obtained in 1985. After moving to West Berlin, Krößner became a mainstay on hit West German TV shows and continued to wow film critics, racking up a number of prestigious accolades including an RTL Golden Lion. In 1991, Krößner was a jury member at the 41st Berlin International Film Festivaland she continued acting into the 2000s. She died following a short illness on 25 May, 2020 at the age of 75. But, as today’s Google Doogle proves, her legacy lives on. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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