MUMBAI : At the age of 88, Phil Donahue, the trailblazing TV chat show presenter credited with transforming daytime television, passed away. After a protracted illness, Donahue passed away Sunday night at home, his family announced to Today on Monday, August 19.
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Phil’s family shared an official statement confirming his death that read, “Donahue was 88 years old and passed away peacefully following a long illness. Groundbreaking TV talk show journalist Phil Donahue died Sunday night at home surrounded by his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie.”
President Joe Biden awarded Donahue the Presidential Medal of Freedom three months before he passed away, recognizing his important contributions to public conversation and media.
The Phil Donahue program, which he eventually shortened to just "Donahue," was a nationally syndicated talk program that peaked in ratings and paved the way for talk shows presented by Jerry Springer and Montel Williams in the future.
Oprah Winfrey praised Donahue as a trailblazer, attributing to him the creation of sophisticated daytime conversation and the introduction of audacious, novel concepts into American women's homes across the country.
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Credit- Indiatoday
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