ITV1 has promised "lots of surprises" on the two-hour special

The penultimate Parkinson will see the veteran broadcaster quiz Sir Michael Caine, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench - and Dame Edna Everage.

Billy Connolly, Peter Kay and Jamie Cullum will also appear on the show, which will be the last time Parkinson interviews guests in the studio.

The 72-year-old will end his last ITV1 series with a lifetime retrospective.

Parkinson described his final studio line-up as a collection of "friends who have made a particular contribution" to his long-running chat show.

'Great talent'

"They are also people of great talent and interest," he said. "What a wonderful way to finish."

The two-hour Parkinson - the second of three specials bringing down the curtain on his talk show career - airs on ITV1 on 15 December.

Its silver-haired host announced this current series would be his last earlier this year.

He is also to end his weekly programme on BBC Radio 2 so he can pursue other projects and write his autobiography.