Legendary TV host Phil Donahue has died. He was 88 years old at the time of his passing.
Donahue was the first person to introduce the idea of interacting with a studio audience in the late 1960s. He helped implement new ideas on TV to an American audience. In doing so, Donahue reshaped the medium, creating the blueprint for modern television.
Donahue passed away on Sunday, August 18. The news of his passing was confirmed by his family in a statement released to the press.
Legendary Talk Show Host Phil Donahue Dies at 88
“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,” his family said via a statement.
“Donahue was 88 years old and passed away peacefully following a long illness.”
Donahue’s The Phil Donahue Show was a massive success and helped pave the way for similar shows hosted by Montel Williams and Jerry Springer. Oprah Winfrey once called Donahue a “trailblazer.”
She said Donahue “invented smart talk in the afternoon and brought startling new ideas into the living rooms and laundry rooms of American women.”
“His show debuted nationally, and the whole country came to know his personal brand of issue-driven straight talk,” Winfrey during a 2002 interview.
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