First it was Moira Stuart, then Nick Ross. Now Michael Parkinson is the latest veteran broadcaster to be contemplating life outside prime-time television schedules that demand ever younger faces.

Parkinson, 72, whose chat-show career has spanned 36 years, says that his autumn series for ITV1 will be his last. He will write his autobiography and pursue other projects with ITV.

The man who interviewed Hollywood greats such as Orson Welles and survived unnerving encounters with Muhammad Ali and Rod Hull and Emu will hope to see the Saturday-night tradition continue. But some executives believe that the chat show may have had its day as celebrities are increasingly reluctant to offer anything more than shallow anecdotes.

Parkinson’s chats with showbusiness pals such as Billy Connolly were thought to be too cosy. Nevertheless, the Beckhams once pulled out of an interview because he would not agree to avoid raising reported difficulties in their marriage.

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Sources said that Parkinson could be replaced by shows such as Al Murray’s Happy Hour, an ITV1 chat show featuring the comedy “pub landlord”, which recently brought a younger audience to Saturday nights.

Parkinson’s audience has gradually declined since its 14 million peak in the 1970s. Viewing figures fell below 4 million during his last ITV1 run, lower than Jonathan Ross’s Friday night show on BBC One.

The Yorkshire-born son of a miner began his celebrity interviews on the BBC in 1971, attracting the most illustrious names of sport, stage and screen from Bing Crosby to contemporary stars such as Nicole Kidman. He defected to ITV in 2004 in a £1.5 million deal after the corporation put Match of the Day in his 10pm slot.

Yesterday he said: “After three enjoyable and productive years at ITV I have decided that this forthcoming series will be my last. I’m going to take next year off to write my autobiography and consider other television projects. My thanks go out to all those who have worked on the shows down the years and the viewers for their loyal support and occasional kind words.”

Paul Jackson, director of entertainment and comedy at ITV, who worked as a junior assistant on the Parkinson show in the 1970s, said: “He has defined the talk show in British television and no one has come near to equalling his record.

He added: “His name is synonymous throughout the English speaking world as a benchmark for integrity and quality in the talk-show genre, and being invited to appear on his show is a recognised landmark in any star’s career.”

It is thought that ITV may axe the Saturday night talk-show slot if a suitable replacement cannot be found. Jonathan Ross, a possible successor, is unlikely to break his £18 million BBC contract, while Graham Norton and Jeremy Vine are also tied to the BBC.

ITV could try to lure back younger viewers with a celebrity-friendly host such as Zoë Ball. Harold Wilson once tried his hand at talk-show presenting, suggesting that the series could provide a lucrative sinecure for a former prime minister comfortable amid the world of celebrity.

ITV has promised to secure an A-list line-up for Parkinson’s final 12 programmes. A chat with Gordon Brown is expected to top the bill.

Mary Wells, the programme’s executive producer, said: “The Parkinson show has been a part of the British Saturday night for so long, it’s hard to imagine life without it.”

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