At the age of 88, legendary talk show host Phil Donahue departed from this life.
After a protracted illness, Donahue passed away on Sunday night in the company of loved ones, including his 44-year wife, Marlo Thomas, according to his family, who confirmed this to TODAY.
Donahue was a pioneer in the daytime talk show business, hosting The Phil Donahue Show from 1967 to 1996.
Known as “the king of daytime talk,” he transformed the format by allowing viewers to participate, which elevated his program to a position of great influence in its day.
President Biden awarded Donahue the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year. He was honored by the White House as a “journalist and television pioneer” who had a major influence on daytime television.
