Dame Helen Mirren, 78, says the late Michael Parkinson may have been ‘right’ with his notorious question on whether her physical ‘equipment’ stopped her being taken seriously as she proves grey can still be glamorous at the Paris Fashion Week catwalk

In recent years she’s decided to ditch the dye and embrace her natural hair colour.

And Dame Helen Mirren, 78, proved that grey can still be glamorous as she walked the Paris Fashion Week catwalk with a wildly back-combed style.

The actress wore a shimmering silver gown as she took part in the show for French beauty brand L’Oreal – for which she is an ambassador – on Sunday.

She was joined by American actress Andie MacDowell, 65, who has also decided to go grey, wearing a similarly bouffant style.

Dame Helen, who branded Sir Michael Parkinson a ‘sexist old fart’ after appearing on his chat show in 1975, has now said the late presenter may have been ‘right’ about her.

Dame Helen Mirren , 78, proved that grey can still be glamorous as she walked the Paris Fashion Week catwalk with a wildly back-combed style

Dame Helen, who branded Sir Michael Parkinson (pictured in 1980) a ‘sexist old fart’ after appearing on his chat show in 1975, has now said the late presenter may have been ‘right’ about her

The cringe-worthy interview, in which Sir Michael introduced his guest as the ‘sex queen’ of the Royal Shakespeare Company, has gone down in history as one of the most awkward of all time. Pictured: Helen Mirren on the set of ‘the cook, the thief, his wife and her lover’

The cringe-worthy interview, in which Sir Michael introduced his guest as the ‘sex queen’ of the Royal Shakespeare Company, has gone down in history as one of the most awkward of all time.

‘Do you find, in fact, that this, what could be best described as your equipment, in fact hinders you perhaps in that pursuit? Well, your physical attributes. Your figure,’ he said on the broadcast.

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She asked: ‘Serious actresses can’t have big bosoms, is that what you mean?’, to which he responded: ‘I think that they might detract from the performance, if you know what I mean.’

Dame Helen has now told the Radio Times: ‘I didn’t feel sorry for Parky, but then in a way I did because in lots of ways he was right.

‘My physicality did get in the way of me being taken seriously as a classical actress.’

She added: ‘Also, I was listening to Elton John’s autobiography and I didn’t realise that when Elton John was outed in a bad way by The Sun, Parky invited Elton on to his show so that they could talk about it properly.

The actress wore a shimmering silver gown as she took part in the show for French beauty brand L’Oreal – for which she is an ambassador – on Sunday

Dame Helen was joined on the catwalk by American actress Andie MacDowell, 65, (pictured on Sunday) who has also decided to go grey, wearing a similarly bouffant style

Dame Helen (pictured in 1992) has now told the Radio Times: ‘I didn’t feel sorry for Parky, but then in a way I did because in lots of ways he was right. My physicality did get in the way of me being taken seriously as a classical actress’

‘He held out a hand and helped Elton John at a very important moment. So I don’t want to diss Parky.’

Sir Michael, who died at the age of 88 last month, always refused to apologise for the interview, which was branded sexist by many viewers.

During an episode of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories in 2019, he did admit that it was ’embarrassing’ and ‘over-the-top’ but ultimately ‘of its time.’

Dame Helen said that times change ‘fast’ and ‘we can only kick down the patriarchy one brick at a time.’