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"He's irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on," read a family statement.
Jerry Springer, face of the infamous "The Jerry Springer Show" show, has died. He was 79.
The talk show host's family confirmed the news to TMZ on Thursday morning, saying Springer "died peacefully today at his home in suburban Chicago, Illinois after a brief illness, surrounded by his family."
Springer fronted the controversial and incredibly popular syndicated show for 27 years, from its premiere in 1991 until it went off the air in 2018. The show's ratings were so strong they even beat Oprah Winfrey in several markets in the '90s. The series also inspired the 1998 comedy "Ringmaster," in which Springer starred. That same year, he released an autobiography with the same name.
He was also known for "The Judge Jerry Show," a radio show and podcast, as well as a folk radio show in Cincinnati and a run on the third season of "Dancing with the Stars" back in 2006. Last year, he also appeared on "The Masked Singer."
Outside of his entertainment career, Springer was also mayor of Cincinnati from 1977-1978 and ran for governor of Ohio in 1982.
"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," said Jene Galvin, a lifelong friend and spokesman for the family, in a statement. "He's irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on."
Springer's family asked that, in lieu of flowers, fans "consider following his spirit and make a donation or commit to an act of kindness to someone in need or a worthy advocacy organization." The statement concluded, "As he always said, "Take care of yourself, and each other.'"
