Parkinson Accepts Newspaper Damages

Revered British broadcaster SIR MICHAEL PARKINSON has settled a libel lawsuit against a U.K. tabloid over allegations he lied about his family background in his memoir.
Editors at the Daily Mail criticised the popular TV personality and journalist for depicting his family as close-knit in Parky, My Autobiography, which was released in 2008.
In an article entitled Who's Telling Parkies, published in May 2009, it was suggested that Parkinson had behaved insensitively towards an elderly uncle and falsely described his father as honest and popular.
Parkinson, 74, denied the accusations and filed suit against the Daily Mail's owners, Associated Newspapers.
The case was heard at London's High Court this week (begs01Mar10), when Associated Newspapers bosses apologised for the article and accepted the allegations were "entirely false".
Parkinson pledged to donate the $40,000 (£25,000) damages to charity, but admitted he had been reluctant to take legal action.
In a statement released on Wednesday (03Mar10), he says, "Where defamatory allegations have been published about me, I have always until now turned a blind eye," said the popular chat show host.
"However, I decided that the Daily Mail had crossed a line by a long way, especially as they knew my views on my father and my family."
A public apology was published in Wednesday's edition of the Daily Mail.