Who is Michael Parkinson’s wife Mary and who are their three children? Late presenter enjoyed 60 years of marriage after meeting his wife on a bus
The tragic death of legendary broadcaster Michael Parkinson will be felt by millions of fans around the world.
But those who may feel his loss most deeply will be those closest to him – his wife Mary, to whom he was married for 60 years, and their three sons, Michael Jr., Andrew and Nicholas.
Journalist and TV presenter Mary, 87, nicknamed ‘Lady P’ by her husband, first met Michael on an open-top bus before marrying in 1959.
The couple was regularly spotted and last appeared together at Wimbledon last year.
Here, FEMAIL reveals the extraordinary life of Michael’s wife, Mary, who has been married for over 60 years, and the three children they share together…
Sir Michael Parkinson was married to his wife Mary for over 60 years, and the two shared three sons, Michael Jr., Andrew and Nicholas
The legendary British broadcaster affectionately called his wife, whom he married in 1959, ‘Lady P’
Michael Parkinson’s wife Mary Anne Heneghan was born on July 16, 1936 in Doncaster.
She was working as a school teacher, while Michael was a newspaper reporter, when they first met on the top deck of a bus in 1959.
Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2008, he explained that from the moment they met he decided he could, “Stare at her face forever.”
Writing in 1959 on the day he met Mary, according to the book ‘Arise Sir Michael’, he described: ‘I was doing a meeting report and she was giving a course there to keep fit. She was a teacher.
“She was wearing a red duffle coat and it occurred to me that I thought she had a face I would never get tired of looking at. She was upstairs… we got off at the same stop.
She was tall and slender, with beautiful smiling eyes. I was beaten; I was also very shy.
“I bribed a mate to find out who she was and call her.”
Meanwhile, film director and friend Michael Winner described the moment they met as follows: ‘When a young teacher in Doncaster, Mary, was picked up by Michael on a bus… it shows the benefits of using public transport.’
Later on, Sir Michael also revealed the moment when he knew he was in love with her.
He explained, “You know when I realized I loved her? When she came to our house and ate a full Yorkshire pudding, gravy and all.
The pair first met in 1936 while riding the bus – and Michael later revealed he was instantly infatuated
The former school teacher and journalist immediately hit it off and they quickly tied the knot in 1959 (pictured together in 1981)
She eats like a horse. I thought, “She’s the girl for me.”
Despite them separating – with Michael based in Manchester – the journalist traveled ‘most nights’ to woo Mary.
He proposed on the balcony of the Grand Hotel in Scarborough and they tied the knot later that year.
Michael described the day: ‘Our wedding day was a cold church in Doncaster. We’d had a fight with Mary’s family because I wasn’t a Roman Catholic, so her side of the church was empty.”
He later said it “didn’t bother them” because they were “in love and wanted to get married.”
Mary made her own wedding dress, while Michael had to borrow money to pay for his suit.
Like her husband, she entered television journalism and soon became a presenter.
She appeared in the 1970s magazine program Good Afternoon produced by Thames Television.
Among other TV work, she also regularly appeared as a panelist on Through the Keyhole.
During their marriage, they welcomed Michael Parkinson Jr, Nicholas Parkinson and Andrew Parkinson in 1960, 1964 and August 1967 respectively.
He paid Lady P credit in the 2008 interview: “She still makes me laugh more than anyone in the world.
He paid Lady P credit in the 2008 interview, saying his wife ‘still made him laugh more than anyone else in the world’
The couple made their last public appearance together last summer when they attended Wimbledon
Their eldest son, Michael Jr., is married to comedian and actress Fiona Allen and has followed his father into the entertainment industry.
‘She’s actually angry. She throws herself into life, always has, which makes it easier for me.
“When it comes to parties, I’m much more reserved. Funnily enough, I find it hard to do all that polite banter. Mary doesn’t. She’s pretty awesome.’
However, their years together were not always joyful – with Sir Michael previously stating that they went through a ‘deeply unhappy’ period in their marriage.
Talking to the Emphaticallyhe told how he became increasingly dependent on alcohol early in his career, when he worked in Fleet Street.
He explained, “I decided to stop drinking when my wife turned to me and said, ‘The problem with you is that if you drink you can get ugly,’ so I stopped.”
“I was not much less than a chronic alcoholic,” he added.
“It was an episode in my life where I was deeply unhappy and I started drinking.”
In 2008, he told the Daily Mail that the marriage hadn’t always been easy, saying: ‘Mary had a hard time. The best she’d get was a bunch of flowers from the Daily Express (the newspaper he was working on at the time) that read, “He’s safe in Congo.”
“The kids are more of a credit to her than to me. I just wasn’t there for them.’
Over the years, the pair often attended sporting events together, including the Ashes and Wimbledon.
Mary was by Michael’s side as he collected his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, after which the pair posed for sweetheart photos outside the palace.
Sir Michael said in 2018 that ‘one of the great mysteries of my life is how our 59-year marriage has lasted’.
Sir Michael said in 2018 that ‘one of the great mysteries in his life is how their 59-year marriage lasted’
Sir Michael and Mary were often seen at sporting events during their marriage, including the Ashes and Wimbledon
However, their years together weren’t always joyful – with Sir Michael previously stating that they went through a ‘deeply unhappy’ period in their marriage
he added the guard: ‘It is one of the great mysteries of my life how our 59-year marriage lasted. If you ask Mary why, she doesn’t know either, but I can’t imagine life without her.
“We are a close-knit, loving family. I have three sons: Michael lives next door and Nick and Andrew live a few miles away.
We also have eight grandchildren. Of course every family has its ups and downs, but nothing will break the bond between us.’
Meanwhile, he told the Mirror“She’s been amazing all along. That’s one of the tests of marriage, I guess.
“There have been horrible times where she must have felt bad dealing with this crabby bastard who wanders around the house and occasionally falls, but she never allowed our relationship to be affected.
“She gives me a good fuck every now and then.”
Their eldest son, Michael Jr, is married to comedian and actress Fiona Allen and has followed his father into the entertainment industry.
In 2021, 55-year-old Michael Jr. that his famous dad is ‘different from how he appears on TV’ (pictured)
Meanwhile, Sir Michael’s middle son Nick is a chef, while little is known about Andrew, who has shunned the limelight.
In 2021, 55-year-old Michael Jr. that his famous father is “different from how he appears on TV.”
He told the Emphatically: ‘He’s human too, that’s why he has rough edges like we all have.’
Michael and Mary retired to Berkshire, where they rarely appeared in public.
Their last appearance together was in July 2022 when the pair attended the Wimbledon match with yet another.
Michael could be seen holding Mary’s arm as they arrived, before the two sat together in the royal box.
They lived there until Sir Michael’s death, which was announced today.
A statement from his family said: ‘Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night surrounded by his family after a short illness.
“The family is asking for privacy and time to mourn.”