Marlo Thomas Breaks Silence After Husband Phil Donahue’s Death: ‘I Lost My Sweetheart’

Marlo Thomas paid tribute to her late husband, Phil Donahue , following his passing at the age of 88.

“Hello, Friends. I'm sure by now you've heard the very sad news that I lost my sweetheart last night,” Thomas, 86, wrote via Instagram on Monday, August 19, alongside a throwback photo of her and Donahue. “So I know you understand that I'll be stepping away from this page for a while to take care of myself and the many people who took care of Phil, and held him close to their hearts.”

Thomas added that she didn’t want to take time away until she thanked everyone for the “beautiful messages of love and support” she’s received so far. She noted her appreciation to her fans for letting her and Donahue, who had been married for 44 years, into their lives over the years.

“As a man who spent his career loving his audiences, Phil got such a kick out of our cozy little community here, and I know he would be very touched by the heartwarming thoughts and memories you've been sharing,” she continued. “Until I return, I wish you good health and happy days in the company of family and friends, and I hope that you will continue to hold close those you cherish most, just as I was blessed to do with my beloved Phillip. Love, Marlo.”

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Thomas had also shared one of her “favorite photos” of herself and Donahue from a European vacation, which showed the couple smiling for the camera as they posed on a scooter.

Earlier that day, news broke that the host of the Phil Donahue Show had “passed away peacefully following a long illness,” according to a statement shared by his family. Thomas was by his side with “his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever, Charlie.”

Thomas and Donahue's friend, Kelly Ripa , paid tribute to the talk show host on social media. “Good friends are hard to come by and even harder to lose,” Ripa, 53, wrote via Instagram on Monday, alongside a photo of her, Thomas, Donahue and Mark Consuelos . “To a life well lived.”

Donahue and Thomas tied the knot in 1980. The pair met and fell in love three years earlier when the actress appeared as a guest on Donahue’s eponymous talk show.

“It was kind of love at first sight,” Thomas said of her and Donahue’s connection during a 2021 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers . “Something chemical happened.”

After more than four decades of marriage, Thomas and Donahue went on to launch their podcast “Double Date with Marlo Thomas & Phil Donahue” to share their tips and tricks for maintaining a happy and healthy relationship.