Phil Donahue, legendary host who made audiences part of his 'The Phil Donahue Show', dies at 88

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Phil Donahue, the legendary host of 'The Phil Donahue Show', died at 88.

The iconic television personality died on Sunday, August 18, while surrounded by his relatives, including his actress wife Marlo Thomas, at his home.

How did Phil Donahue die?

Phil Donahue, whose groundbreaking talk show that ran for nearly 30 years died after a prolonged illness, his family announced.

According to his family's statement, Donahue was surrounded by his wife, children, grandchildren, and even his beloved golden retriever, Charlie, at the time of his death, reported Daily Mail.

The details about specific illness he had been battling remains undisclosed.

On July 12, Marlo, 86, took to Instagram to post a heartwarming picture of Donahue.

The image captured at least a year and a half ago during the filming for Hallmark's 'A Magical Christmas Village' shows Donahue feeding a horse on a farm in Canada.

"Here's a favorite shot of Phil in the morning feeding the horses near the house where we were staying in Canada," she captioned the photo.

"A lovely way to start the day!' Marlo concluded.

Phil Donahue's lasting legacy

Phil Donahue's program was the first-of-its-kind, introducing audience participation and tackling issues that were often considered taboo at the time.

These innovations set the stage for the modern talk show format, solidifying his place in the television industry.

On May 3, Donahue was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his storied career.

The White House, in its statement, praised Donahue as "a journalist and television pioneer who pioneered the daytime issue-oriented television talk show."

"Donahue was the first daytime talk show to feature audience participation and one of the most influential television programs of its time," read the statement.

Internet pays tribute to legendary TV host Phil Donahue

Following the announcement of Phil Donahue's death at the age of 88, netizens paid tribute to the pioneer of the daytime talk show.

One user on X wrote, "A true pioneer for daytime. Countless memories watching with my mother growing up." Another tweeted, "I loved his show back in the day... Rest In Peace, Phil Donahue."

"Phil Donahue was an American icon," a netizen commented. Someone remarked, "Like many ppl here, I grew up watching Phil…his shows made an impact on my politics, my world view through his insightful guests and interviews. I feel fortunate to have had this quality of tv…especially considering the talk shows that followed. RIP."

"Phil Donahue was an early and powerful influence for my understanding of community and critical thinking. His questioning developed my own sense of wonder and curiosity about the larger world. PD was a great teacher. for his family as they grieve his loss," an individual penned.

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