It's been a strange week. I heard from my icon, Des; I got to interview my other icon, Michael; and I said 'yes, please.'

I actually said 'yes' to doing the Olympics in Sydney, 2000. Can you imagine it? Would I ever have said 'no'? No! I'll be there for the Judo competitions as I was in Atlanta - with my commentating partner, I hope. He's a Judo expert and he coached me through all the throws. He also had a brainwave in Atlanta where my fine tuning was concerned. He'd throw me, so I knew exactly what I was talking about, and how it felt...

So, we set up the pillows and duvet from my hotel bed on the floor, and got stuck in. The only trouble was that the chamber maid walked in and assumed the worst. I won't say any more, apart from the fact that it did improve my commentary.

Actually, I was talking about the Olympics with my son and about how I got to work with one of my icons. Well, he looked sort of bewildered, so I assumed he didn't know what the word meant. With my teaching hat on, I launched into all the stuff about it meaning 'idol' or some such thing. Unfortunately, that only made him look more puzzles. So, I started to blab...

"Now you see, let's take my icons, for a start. I have two..." At this I settled further into my seat... "Des Lynam. There's an icon to have. Do you know he'd read the Nine O'Clock News and get away with it? True talent that."

By now, I was really into my subject. I was also boring. But you see, even I have my own little claim to fame where Des is concerned. His aunt. When I was doing my 'missionary work' in the South... she used to watch me (poor thing), but quite liked me apparently. So much so, she asked Des to get my autograph for her. He told me that it put a different perspective on things! Never mind, mate. You're aunt's obviously got good taste...

Back with my son, I continued. "....which brings me to my second icon, Michael Parkinson. The only other true television great."

His wife once tried to make him trendy. She bought him a leather jacket and insisted he wore it to BBC Television Centre in London. Poor Michael happened to meet Eric Morecambe in the lifts there, who told him he looked like a 'tall wallet'!"

I had the chance to meet up with Parkinson again this week, when he was in Sheffield for the Cricket Lovers' Society - er, yes - and I learnt more of such stories. I was being filmed, being watched, interviewing him in front of his own audience, for a Look North special - and it would be very nice of you all to tune in for it next week!

But back again to my son. "But dad, you're all old people," he replied. "They can't be my icons. But what about this place? Can it be my icon?"

As I glanced over to what he was holding, it all became clear. It was an advertisement for the ikon & Diva nightclub in York. Funny how this generation learns about things, hey?

9/4/99

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.