Saturday, 16 May 2009

Michael Parkinson: Jade Goody quotes were taken out of context

TV host says he didn't mean offence

Michael Parkinson retired from his chat show last year

Michael Parkinson insists his comments about Jade Goody were misinterpreted.

Shortly after her death, the TV legend was quoted as saying that the Big Brother star represented ‘all that's paltry and wretched about Britain today’.

‘The debate was lost in this stupid infantile stuff about Jade – it was taken out of context,’ says Michael.

‘I had no idea it would create this furore. I would not go out of my way to be intentionally nasty about the girl with no reason. That’s b*****ks, frankly. I did it because I was pointing out something which I think is crucial in our society.’

Michael, 74, is annoyed that the public reacted so badly.

‘I didn’t call her thick as a brick shithouse, like one writer did,’ he tells OK! ‘I didn’t call her a slapper with a face like a pig, like other people did.’