Michael Parkinson says social media has killed art of chat shows

Sir Michael Parkinson has claimed social media has killed the art of chat shows.

The iconic TV star - who was at the helm of his own show from 1971 to 2007 - insisted the accessibility of celebrities nowadays has made it difficult for presenters to ask their guests anything the audience doesn\'t already know about.

He\'s quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying: "The problem now is that the mystery and intrigue of fame have disappeared.

"Because of the electronic world we live in they have been replaced by a familiarity that can often mean no matter what question you might pose to your guest, the viewer already knows the answer."

While Sir Michael, 83, praised "old style" host Jonathan Ross, he also complimented Graham Norton, 55, for turning the format on its head by making it feel like "a party" with all the guests appearing at once.

He added: "Graham has solved the problem by transforming the talk show into a party with everyone, including the audience, invited.

"It works because of his rare talent for making his guests feel wanted and his ability to convince his guests, often meeting for the first time, that they are lifelong buddies.

"He is not so much a talk show host as an illusionist."

Jonathan, 57, recently echoed similar thoughts to the presenter, and admitted things have changed since Michael\'s heyday.

He said: "You have to find an angle now. And also the sorta show I\'m doing now, it\'s not really a talk show which is about getting to the depth of a personality and finding out their problems in life.

"We do cover some of those topics, but really it\'s about trying to create a Saturday night entertainment show. We want a fun atmosphere and everyone to join in."