The entertainment world took another tough loss on Saturday when legendary TV host Regis Philbin died at age 88. Multiple outlets reported Philbin’s passing on Saturday, and his family shared a statement with People that confirmed the Live host had died:
“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” his family shares with PEOPLE in an exclusive statement on Saturday.
“His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him – for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss,” the Philbin family says.
Philbin’s run on television began in 1988 when he became the co-host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee working alongside Kathie Lee Gifford, who left the show after 15 years. Philbin continued working on the show with Gifford’s replacement, Kelly Ripa, who he worked with until his departure in 2011. A legendary daytime host in his own right, Philbin also saw his popularity soar as the original host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, a ratings bonanza for ABC that took the game-show world by storm. Philbin served as the host of Millionaire from 1999 to 2002. He also hosted Million Dollar Password, the first season of America’s Got Talent, and he also had a role co-hosting Rachael Ray.
[via People]
