Legendary TV host dies as heartbroken family make emotional tribute

TV legend Phil Donahue has passed away at the age of 88 . Donahue was a pioneering TV host who shot to fame in the late 1960s, becoming one of the first presenters to engage with a studio audience.

His family released a statement saying: "Groundbreaking TV talk show journalist Phil Donahue died Sunday night at home surrounded by his wife of 44 years Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie."

"Donahue was 88 years old and passed away peacefully following a long illness."

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A pioneer in the talk-show world, his programme, The Phil Donahue Show, was the first to introduce audience participation.

At its height, The Phil Donahue Show - later renamed Donahue - was a ratings success and paved the way for similar shows by hosts Montel Williams and Jerry Springer.

Oprah Winfrey described Donahue as a trailblazer who invented intelligent afternoon talk and brought groundbreaking new ideas into the homes and laundry rooms of American women.

"If there had been no Phil Donahue show, there would be no 'Oprah Winfrey' show," Winfrey stated in 2002. "He was the first to acknowledge that women are interested in more than mascara tips and cake recipes - that we're intelligent, we're concerned about the world around us, and we want the best possible lives for ourselves."

The Cleveland native, hailed as the "king of daytime TV", helmed over 6,000 episodes of The Phil Donahue Show from 1967 to 1996. Besides his own show, Donahue also contributed regularly to NBC's TODAY between 1979 and 1988.

After retiring in 1996, Donahue made a short-lived comeback to TV in 2002 with a prime-time slot on MSNBC, but his programme was axed in under a year.

In May, Donahue was among 19 distinguished Americans to receive the presidential medal of freedom. He was honoured by Former President Joe Biden for his impressive career, which saw him scoop up 11 Daytime Emmy Awards.

Piers Morgan commemorated the television legend, posting on X: "RIP Phil Donahue, 88. One of the true trail-blazing icons of American television."

"He hosted over 6,000 talk shows, and was the first to interact with a studio audience. Interviewing him for CNN a few years ago lived up to every expectation.. such a clever, interesting man."