legendary American TV host, Jerry Springer has died at the age of 79.
His family confirmed that he died peacefully on Thursday at his home in the Chicago area, following a brief illness.
Jene Galvin, a lifelong friend and spokesman for the family said in a statement: “Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word.
“He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humour will live on.”
A politician-turned-presenter, he was most famous for his eponymous tabloid talk show, The Jerry Springer Show, which he always ended with the catchphrase: “Take care of yourself and each other”.
Synonymous with strippers, food-fights and punch ups, it was once named the worst show in the history of television, but proved to be ratings gold.
It aired for 27 seasons and nearly 5,000 episodes from 1991 to 2018. A UK version of the show was made in 1999, and Too Hot For TV videos and DVDs were also released.
With infamous episodes including The Man Who Married A Horse and My Girlfriend is a Man, the show even inspired its own musical, Jerry Springer: The Opera.
Remaining salacious to the end, some of its last episodes had titles including Stripper Sex Turned Me Straight, Stop Pimpin’ My Twin Sister, and Hooking Up With My Therapist
Frequently derided as low-brow TV, and criticised for its exploitative nature, Springer always stood by his show, describing it as a rebellion against the elite, in a world where only the rich and famous were considered worthy for screen time.
