Michael Parkinson offered apology to Meg Ryan after awkward 2003 interview and said: ‘I wish I hadn’t lost my temper’
- The iconic presenter has died aged 88 on August 16, 2023
- He previously boiled down her bad behaviour to her film’s poor performance
- The Sleepless in Seattle star branded him a ‘nut’ after their frosty interview
The broadcaster who has died aged 88, previously revealed he should have been ‘more courteous’ during his infamous interview with Meg Ryan,
‘I wish I hadn’t lost my temper with Meg Ryan. I wish I’d dealt with it in a more courteous manner,’ Sir Michael Parkinson told Radio Times in 2021.
‘I was quite obviously angry with her and it’s not my business to be angry towards the guests. I came across as kind of pompous and I could have done better.’
The infamous interview is among the no-nonsense broadcaster’s best-known moments.
In 2003, Sleepless in Seattle star gave a series of short answers, whilst promoting her film ‘In the Cut’ on Sir Michael Parkinson’s BBC talk show.
The talk show veteran told Australia’s Stellar magazine that he believed Meg Ryan (right) was icy in her 2003 interview because her ‘In the Cut’ film was performing poorly. He also told Australia’s Stellar Magazine that she was rude to his guests
The Hollywood actress seemingly desired to be elsewhere while promoting her film ‘In the Cut’.
During the icy discussion, Parkinson asked if her apprehension of journalists gives her insight into what they want, Ryan defensively replied: ‘Now that I am wary of them?’
Parkinson answered: ‘Yes, you are wary of journalists, you are wary of me, you are wary of the interview. You don’t like being interviewed.
He later asked: ‘If you were me, what would you do now?’, to which Ryan ordered him to ‘Just wrap it up.’
Parkinson branded ‘beautiful Meg’ as an ‘unhappy woman’, while she hit back labelling him a ‘nut’.
He also later claimed in an interview with Australia’s Stellar Magazine that she was impolite to the guests on his show.
The talk show veteran boiled Ryan’s irritated facial expressions and stand-off-ish behaviour down to her film’s poor performance.
in 2020, the iconic journalist stated: ‘There was very good reason; she was in a film that didn’t do very well and was at the end of a long tour and couldn’t wait to get home.’
‘I wish I’d dealt with it in a more courteous manner’: Parkinson regretted losing his temper with the Sleepless in Seattle star.
The Sleepless in Seattle Star (pictured) labelled Sir Michael Parkinson ‘a nut’ and also stated that he spoke to her like ‘a disapproving father’
But in a chat with Marie Claire, the star of When Harry Met Sally placed the blame on Parkinson for the frosty interview.
She stated that she felt Parkinson was criticising her for being nude in the movie, saying that she was ‘so offended by him’.
In 2006, Ryan said: ‘I don’t even know the man. That guy was like some disapproving father! It’s crazy. I don’t know what he is to you guys, but he’s a nut.
‘He said something like, “You should go back to doing what you were doing”. I thought, “Are you like a disapproving dad? Back off, buddy”. I was so offended.’
Whilst the Sir Michael had previously jested the pare don’t get in touch during the festive season, there is no deep-rooted hatred there either.
When questioned about what interview he would re-do given the chance, the broadcasting juggernaut told Good Morning Britain:
‘I would like to get the Meg Ryan one right. I mean we were both in a fairly grim mood I think.’
‘There was another way to handle that and extract more fun from it.’
The presenter who hosted his own show for nearly two decades shared he would have been axed off air in the present ‘ultra sensitive world’.
He stated: ‘In this ultra-sensitive world I doubt I could do an interview nowadays without being sent off. There are so many pitfalls and booby traps.’
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