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Richard Madeley was left choked up on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, as he recalled interviewing late country music legend Dolly Parton.
Her loss has shocked and saddened the entertainment world, after her nephew Bryan Seaver shared the news in a touching tribute on Tuesday night.
Tributes have poured in from the biggest names in music, including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift and Beyonce.
Madeley, 70, shared his own tribute to the 9 to 5 hitmaker, which he struggled to get through on the ITV morning programme.
He recalled interviewing Parton alongside his wife Judy Finnigan, 78, for an instalment on This Morning back in 2001.
Madeley said: ‘That was an interview via satellite, a live interview, from a few years ago. Judy and I first met Dolly on This Morning,’ but he was forced to stop abruptly after his voice cracked with emotion.
Dolly Parton: 1946 – 2026
Dolly Parton, an icon of music, film, philanthropy, wisecracks and rhinestones, has died at the age of 80.
The Queen of Country Music’s death was announced on Tuesday August 25, prompting an outpouring of grief across the world.
Follow Metro’s coverage of the death of Dolly Parton:
- Dolly Parton’s cause of death confirmed, after the star recently revealed she had been unwell
- Heartbroken celebrities including Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Sir Elton John pay tribute to the ‘unique and irreplaceable’ music legend
- Dolly Parton’s funeral details revealed and the song she wanted to be played
- Remembering Dolly Parton’s unlikely love for Rotherham
- The devastating moment 9 to 5 The Musical audience told Dolly Parton has died
- Inside Dolly Parton’s private and ‘wonderful’ marriage of nearly 60 years to Carl Dean
- Eminem reveals private letter Dolly Parton sent to him as he pays tribute
- Richard Madeley got choked up on GMB while remembering ‘funny’ Dolly Parton interview
His Good Morning Britain co-host Ranvir Singh, 49, rubbed his back while Madeley composed himself.
He continued: ‘Right! On This Morning. She was so funny and halfway through the interview, she kept putting her little legs out, sticking her legs out and I looked down and said “God, you’ve got really small feet, haven’t you?”
‘She went, “Nothing grows in the shade honey!” Which I didn’t think she’d ever said before.
‘A lot of people think her one-liners were crafted, and I suppose some of them were, but I think a lot were spontaneous – that was spontaneous.’
He added: ‘She had a real sharp wit; she was as smart as a whip.’
Showbiz presenter Richard Arnold, 56, chipped in in agreement, adding: ‘Grit and wit – honed from her upbringing, absolutely. We nicknamed her the “Dolly Lama” amongst our group of friends because she had so many gems and pearls of wisdom.
‘She could always distil a thought or a moment and just have that turn of phrase like a verbal gymnast and incredible lyricist.’
Parton’s publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said that the singer had died after a ‘brief battle’ with cancer, adding: ‘Dolly departed her earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre surrounded by loved ones.’
Landmarks around the US were lit up pink in Parton’s honour, including the Empire State Building in New York, the Willis Tower in Chicago and the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel in Los Angeles.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 from 6am.