Author name: David Parkin

FROM gold medal winning Olympians to David Bowie, the Kaiser Chiefs, chart toppers Rudimental and Game of Thrones. At a dinner for alumni of Leeds Beckett University last week I learned of the cultural, teaching, sporting and learning influence that the institution, dating back to 1824, has had. And given I received an honorary degree […]

BEYONCE, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Coldplay. Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium has played host to some of the world’s biggest names in entertainment. This week it was my turn. Now admittedly, I didn’t appear in front of the size of crowd that Queen B and Jay Z are used to. And I didn’t whip my audience

WHEN it comes to stories of redemption, Tyson Fury’s is hard to beat. Seemingly on top of the world after improbably winning the world heavyweight title from long-serving champion Wladimir Klitschko, the self-titled Gipsy King’s fall from grace was rapid and shocking. Rightly vilified for making misogynistic and homophobic comments, he descended into a dark

YOU go on holiday to get away from it all. I’ve just spent two weeks in South Africa and couldn’t get away from Yorkshire. I suppose I wasn’t so much annoyed as surprised. You fly halfway across the world and you don’t really expect there to be many reminders of home. Particularly at the southernmost

THEY say it is better to give than to receive. IT certainly felt like that for me last week when we delivered our latest event for Sky. The broadcaster brought together its 250 team managers from every corner of the UK to brief them on new communications technology which is being introduced. We held the

THEY say that moving house is one of life’s more stressful experiences. Given I organised my house move five days before Christmas I was prepared for a good dose of chaos in the run up to and during the festive holidays. But the move itself was pretty smooth considering and Christmas went well, despite mislaying

“THAT’S a nice scarf,” said the chap who served me a cup of tea yesterday. “He always looks smart and important,” said my companion. “Yes he looks like the main man, are you his bodyguard?” said the man behind the counter as he gave us our tea. Now given that my companion was Tom Riordan,

YOU can’t spend 20-odd years in journalism without annoying somebody. Being chased by the BNP, receiving death threats from irate football fans and and a warning of legal action from Ken Bates when he was chairman of Leeds United are all experiences which I don’t look back on fondly. But I’ve never been head butted.

IT seemed bizarrely appropriate that I was discussing Brexit with Christopher Biggins this week. The former I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here winner is appearing in Billy Pearce’s annual show at the Bradford Alhambra this Christmas. And given the pantomime that Brexit has become, talking to one of Britain’s most celebrated panto dames

YOU may not have heard of Dr Boyd Cooper but you would definitely know the names of some of his patients. The doctor, who has just turned 95-years-old, is one of Hollywood’s most celebrated physicians. In a career covering six decades he had an illustrious following including Liza Minelli, Karen Black and Beverly D’Angelo and