US TALK show legend Larry King has died aged 87.
King passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a statement from Ora Media, the studio and network the TV star co-founded, confirmed.
No cause of death has yet been given.
King had been admitted to hospital in late December after testing positive for coronavirus.
Though he initially received oxygen in intensive care, King later moved out of the ICU and was said to be breathing on his own.
The veteran television host had battled several health issues over the past few years including Type-2 diabetes, lung cancer, prostate cancer and angina.
He suffered a heart attack in 1987 and a near-fatal stroke just two years ago.
Born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger, in New York City on November 19, 1933, King enjoyed a career that spanned more than six decades.
Known for his hunched over the desk look, complete with rolled up sleeves and braces, King interviewed some of the biggest names on the planet from the world of politics, celebrity and far beyond.
He first hit the big time in the 1970s with the radio programme The Larry King Show but is best known for his long-running TV series Larry King Live.
Broadcast on CNN between 1985 and 2010, the show saw King grill an eclectic variety of guests in his own imitable style.
RIP Larry King, 87.
A television legend. pic.twitter.com/AjFSS8bmT9— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 23, 2021
Larry King was a hero of mine until we fell out after I replaced him at CNN & he said my show was ‘like watching your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new Bentley.’ (He married 8 times so a mother-in-law expert) But he was a brilliant broadcaster & masterful TV interviewer. pic.twitter.com/1JsXeeZYEk
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 23, 2021
The statement by Ora Media read:
“With profound sadness, Ora Media announces the death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.”
“For 63 years and across the platforms of radio, television and digital media, Larry’s many thousands of interviews, awards and global acclaim stand as a testament to his unique and lasting talent as a broadcaster. ‘Additionally, while it was his name appearing in the shows’ titles, Larry always viewed his interview subjects as the true stars of his programmes, and himself merely an unbiased conduit between the guests and audience.
“Whether he was interviewing a US president, foreign leader, celebrity, scandal-ridden personage, or an everyman, Larry liked to ask short, direct, and uncomplicated questions. ‘He believed concise questions usually provided the best answers, and he was not wrong in that belief. ‘Larry’s interviews from his 25-year run on CNN’s “Larry King Live” and his Ora Media programmes “Larry King Now” and Politicking with Larry King” are consistently referenced by media outlets around the world and remain part of the historical record of the late 20th and earliest 21st centuries.’
"Ora Media sends our condolences to his surviving children, Larry, Jr, Chance, Cannon and the entire King family. ‘Funeral arrangements and a memorial service will be announced later in coordination with the King family, who ask for their privacy at this time."
Piers Morgan has led the tributes on social media, sharing a picture of the iconic host on Twitter alongside the words “RIP Larry King, 87. A television legend.:
He later added: “Larry King was a hero of mine until we fell out after I replaced him at CNN & he said my show was “like watching your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new Bentley.”
“(He married 8 times so a mother-in-law expert) But he was a brilliant broadcaster & masterful TV interviewer.”
