Now these are stars! David Bowie, John Cleese, Alan Bennett, LS Lowry, Ken Loach, Peter Alliss, Nigella Lawson, Honor Blackman, Alastair Sim, JB Priestley, Graham Greene, Roald Dahl, George Melly, Humphrey Lyttelton, Aldous Huxley, Evelyn Waugh, Albert Finney, and even French and Saunders.
They are among 300-plus people who have turned down honours.
Many have spoken scathingly of the antiquated system. What a marvellous contrast to those new recipients who seemingly without exception said they felt privileged.
There are three I’m prepared to forgive – Julie Walters and Billy Whizz Jason Robinson for being brilliant, and Michael Parkinson for maintaining the highest professional standards while being much maligned
Parky’s critics accused him of being too ‘soft’ on interviewees. No, he was just polite – he got there in the end. And anyone who saw his interview with Jacob Bronowski saw a master at work.
The multi-talented author, mathematician, and creator of the BBC TV series The Ascent Of Man was speaking slowly with pauses for thought as he spoke of his visit to Auschwitz.
Today’s crop of interviewers/presenters would have dived in to speed things up, totally ignoring the fact that the studio was crackling with atmosphere as he painted a vivid verbal picture of the unimaginable.
Parky uttered not a word. Genius.
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