Michael Parkinson has apologised to Meg Ryan over their infamous 2003 interview.
The chat show king, 86, had a frosty one-on-one with the Hollywood actress, 59, while she was promoting the poorly received erotic thriller In The Cut.
Ryan sat stony-faced for the sit-down, delivering one-word answers after allegedly being rude to her fellow guests on the show, the fashion double act Trinny and Susannah.
The star snapped to the host: ”Wrap it up.”
While the interview has gone down in history as one of the most memorable of Parkinson’s storied career for all the wrong reasons, he has now offered an apology to Ryan.
Speaking to the Radio Times, he said: “I wish I hadn’t lost my temper with Meg Ryan. I wish I’d dealt with it in a more courteous manner. I was quite obviously angry with her, and it’s not my business to be angry towards the guests. I came across as kind of pompous, and I could have done better.”
Asked what he would say to Ryan if he saw her again, Parkinson said: “I’m sorry. But you must understand that you played a part in it, too. Neither of us were on top form, and we were both discomforted.”
Parkinson's apology marks a departure from his previous comments on the interview.
He once called her “an unhappy woman,” while Ryan branded him a “nut” and said he had spoken to her “like a disapproving dad”.
Parkinson announced his retirement in 2007 after a glittering career as a TV interviewer.
