Cricket legend Dickie Bird breaks down in tears as he pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ Sir Michael Parkinson

Dickie Bird broke down in tears as he spoke to Paul Hawksbee and Charlie Baker about the passing of his 'true friend' Sir Michael Parkinson.

The legendary TV presenter and chat show host sadly passed away at the age of 88.

Parkinson's agent confirmed that the star died peacefully with his family at home in the company of his family on Wednesday night following a brief illness.

Parkinson was famous for his chat show which aired more than 800 episodes as he interviewed legendary figures including Sir Elton John, Tom Cruise, Helen Mirren and George Michael.

He also interviewed plenty of sporting royalty with Muhammad Ali, David Beckham, George Best and Shane Warne all appearing as guests on his show.

And Parkinson's close friend of eight decades, legendary cricket umpire Bird, spoke to talkSPORT to share his memories and recall their poignant last conversation.

Speaking on Hawksbee & Jacobs, Bird said: “We knew each other for 80 years.

"I think we worked it out, me and Parky, and it was 84 years that we were friends and when I turned 90 he came all the way just to see me on my 90^th birthday and he wasn’t well, but he came and that’s a true friend.

“He was a very close friend. Our friendship, I can’t even tell you.

“I only spoke to him yesterday morning and he said ‘mate, I think I’m getting towards the end’ and I said ‘keep your chin up, keep going’ but I could tell that he was ill and we said our goodbyes yesterday morning.

“It’s stunned me. I’m so down, I’m gutted because we’ve known each other for so long and you talk about Muhammad Ali and Garfield Sobers, but Michael Parkinson was a true legend.”

Explaining how he knew him, Bird said: “He worked for our local newspaper here in Barnsley, the Barnsley Chronicle and I’ve seen him rise.

“We opened together for Barnsley Cricket Club as young lads in the Yorkshire League and our fathers used to watch us on a Saturday afternoon and they used to argue about who was the best player out of me and Parky!

“He kept Geoffrey Boycott out of the Barnsley side for a few years, but he’s the best chat show host that you could ever hope for.

“He’s the best, you’ll never see one as good in your lifetime or anybody else’s lifetime. He was the best and he was my closest friend. If I had any problems I’d ring Parky up.

“If anything came up I’d get on the phone and ring him and when I wrote my autobiography in 1996, all of the publishers around the world wanted my book and I rang Parky up and asked who I should go with.

“He said ‘I’ve got the one for you’, Hodder & Stoughton he said and my god he was right because it sold over a million copies in hardback and over a million copies in paperback, so that’s a true friend.”

Bird added: “I’m stunned. Honestly, I’ve got a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes and yesterday morning…” he said before bursting into tears, “We spoke yesterday morning and shed a few tears.

“He lived live to the full and we’d speak on the phone and he’d ask if I had any problems – that’s a true friend and my condolences go out to his wife Mary and his lad. I’ll certainly miss him, I’ll tell you that now.”