The iconic British broadcaster died at age 88, his family confirmed to the BBC on 17 Aug. A statement they provided to the outlet reads, "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."
Parkinson's broadcasting career spanned seven decades, as he interviewed some of the biggest stars in the world on his long-running chat show, "Parkinson" — including Tom Hanks, David Bowie, Victoria and David Beckham, Will Smith, George Clooney, and more. According to the BBC, he served in the British army for two years before his journalism pursuits. It's unclear what illness led to Parkinson's death, but in 2013, he revealed he was receiving radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer. Doctors deemed him rid of the cancer two years later.