KUALA LUMPUR – United States talk show legend Larry King died at the age of 87 today. He was in hospital at following a long illness, his family confirmed in a Twitter post.
In a statement today, Ora Media co-founded by King extended its condolences to his family, and surviving children Larry Jr., Chance and Cannon.
Just three weeks ago, King was reported to be in hospital with Covid-19. Citing a “source close to the family,” CNN reported that King had been hospitalised for more than a week at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
King has Type 2 diabetes and has had a long history of medical issues, including several heart attacks, lung cancer and angina, a condition caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.
The legendary host is one of the most recognizable figures on US television, known for his signature rolled-up shirtsleeves, multi-coloured ties, suspenders and big glasses.
In November 2019, King suffered a near-fatal stroke and later announced he spent “a couple weeks” in a coma.
His career
King started in Florida as a local journalist and interviewer in the 1950s and garnered national fame with then radio show known as The Larry King Show in 1978.
He rose to global fame for hosting CNN’s Larry King Live show for 25 years between 1985 and 2010.
During this time, he interviewed movie stars, prominent politicians and unique personalities, discussing their personal lives to breaking news stories.
In 2012, he co-founded Ora Media and started hosting his Larry King Now show.
Over his lifetime, King received more than a dozen media awards, including two Peabody awards for excellence in broadcasting in 1982 and 1992 as well as an Emmy Award and 10 CableACE awards for Best Interviewer as well as Best Talk Show Series.
King married eight times during his life, filing for divorce from his latest wife Shawn Southwick in 2019. He was father to five children and had nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Two of his children, Andy and Chaia, died within weeks of each other in July and August last year, one from a heart attack and another with lung cancer. – The Vibes, January 23, 2021
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