Over the past year Michael has been making a short series of films celebrating the lives and work of ten individuals who in his opinion have given the most to the world of entertainment.

From Muhammad Ali to Billy Connolly, they’re entertainers in the broadest sense of the word; they have illuminated the worlds of sport, comedy, popular music, Hollywood and in one particular case the natural world. What unites them - apart from being supremely gifted - is an extra dimension, the ability to connect with an audience who in turn respond with a mixture of gratitude and enduring affection.

In this one off special, Michael Parkinson visits locations intimately connected with his subjects, talks to the men and woman who knew them best and uses the very best archive footage to state his case why these ten men and woman are truly the Greatest Entertainers.

ITV1 Thursday 4 January 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM