Legendary Talk Show Host Phil Donahue Dead at Age 88

Iconic talk show host Phil Donahue has passed away at age 88.

During the Monday, August 19, broadcast of Today , the media personality's family shared a statement announcing the tragic news to the world.

Donahue's loved ones confirmed he died on Sunday, August 18, surrounded by the most important people in his life, including his wife, Marlo Thomas , his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever, Charlie.

No exact cause of death has been revealed, however, his relatives noted The Phil Donahue Show alum was battling a long illness.

Donahue became a household name as the host of his chat series, which launched in 1967. The daytime hit went on to run for 26 years, resulting in the Ohio native leaving his mark on the landscape of television.

"His show debuted nationally, and the whole country came to know his personal brand of issue-driven straight talk," Oprah Winfrey said of Donahue's influence in a 2002 interview. "If there had been no Phil Donahue Show , there would be no Oprah Winfrey Show . 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 media mogul went on to win 200 Emmy Awards throughout his career, including 10 for Outstanding Host and another 10 for the talk show for highlighting culture-shifting topics and conducting important conversations about what was going on in the world.

"We grew up with the feminist movement, the consumer movement, the gay rights movement, we grew up with the antiwar movement, with the environmental movement," he explained in a 2001 interview about his motivation to bring information to the masses.

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When it came to his personal life, Donahue was happily married to the That Girl actress, 86, for numerous decades. "We listen to each other, and we’re able to fight without going to war," he exclusively told OK! in 2008 about their longtime romance. "We respect and love each other. Try that — see what happens."

"We’re excited about each other’s accomplishments," Thomas gushed over her husband, whom she first met when she was a guest on his show.

Oprah.com conducted the 2002 interview with Winfrey about Donahue.