BBC legend Sir Michael Parkinson leaves eye-watering fortune to beloved wife in will

Sir Michael Parkinson died at the age of 88 in 2023 (Image: Getty Images)

Broadcasting legend Sir Michael Parkinson has bequeathed an impressive estate to his loved ones following his death at the age of 88.

The revered British TV host, who graced our screens for half a century, is mourned by fans and celebrities alike. His unique style saw him dedicate entire shows to one-on-one chats with some of showbiz's greatest icons, such as David Beckham, Muhammed Ali, Billy Connolly, and David Attenborough.

Sir Michael sadly succumbed after a brief illness, having beaten prostate cancer following treatment in 2015. His family released a touching statement on August 16, 2023 announcing: "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."

In the wake of his departure, it has emerged that Sir Michael left behind a legacy worth nearly £300,000. After the official processing by a court last week, his will disclosed an inheritance summing up to £308,985.

This figure came down to £292,512 once funeral expenses, legal fees and outstanding debts were settled, as reported by The Sun. True to his longstanding union, Sir Michael entrusted all of his remaining monetary and physical assets to his wife of over six decades, Lady Mary Parkinson.

Sir Michael Parkinson (R) poses for photographs with his wife Mary (Image: Getty Images)

Appointed to oversee their father's last wishes, Andrew, Nick, and Mike took on the roles of executors after their father's will was signed in May 2020. Loved ones of the esteemed chat-show legend, affectionately known as "Parky", gathered for a simple farewell service a month subsequent to his passing.

His coffin bore significant tokens, including a cricket cap and the red and white scarf symbolising his adored Barnsley football club, at St Michael's Church in Bray, Berkshire.

Reflecting on the immense outpouring of grief following Sir Michael's death, son Mike spoke to BBC Breakfast, confessing their astonishment at the global reaction: "We didn't expect the kind of outpouring, we didn't expect what happened. I mean, not just here but in Australia. I mean, Australia, there was a golf course he used to be a member of and they put the flag at half mast."

Sir Michael Parkinson during his appearance on BBC Breakfast on BBC One (Image: Getty Images)

Mike acknowledged the extraordinary tributes, saying: "Remarkable kind of gestures like that. And I have said previously that it's a very difficult situation to be in as a family because you do actually feel that you should step back for a while and just let the public mourn the man that they lost in the sense that you don't want to almost step on their toes because they had a particular relationship with him, either through television, radio, through print."

He elaborated on the unique mourning process due to Sir Michael's public persona: "And in a sense they're mourning a different person and so we have to, in a sense, keep out what we were mourning and keep it separate and allow that to subside before we're really able to as a family come together and remember him as a dad and as a husband of 64 years."

Mike revealed that his family remained in a "sense of shock" following the passing of his father, and he confessed to the instinctive desire to contact his dad before being hit by the reality that it was no longer possible.

Sir Michael had his origins in modest circumstances he was born into the world of South Yorkshire in 1935, and was raised in a council house in Cudworth, near Barnsley.

According to his death certificate, Michael's demise was attributed to the "frailty of old age".