Popular American broadcaster, Larry King, and longtime CNN host who became an icon through his interviews with countless newsmakers and his sartorial sensibilities, has died. He was 87.
According to CNN, his son, Chance, confirmed King’s death Saturday morning. King hosted “Larry King Live” on CNN for over 25 years.
A statement posted on his verified Facebook announcing his passing 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,” the statement said. “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.”
A cause of death was not provided, but CNN reported earlier this month that King was fighting coronavirus, citing a source close to his family.
King survived a major heart attack in 1987. In 2017, he revealed he had been treated for lung cancer; two years later he had an angioplasty and suffered a stroke.
In a career spanning six decades, King interviewed a staggering number of celebrities, political leaders and public figures, including every US president from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump.