TV hosting legend Jerry Springer dies, aged 79
Springer’s eponymous talk show ran for nearly 30 years.
TV hosting legend Jerry Springer has died aged 79, his family have confirmed.
A statement from his family (via WLWT5) confirmed that he passed away "peacefully" at his home in Chicago on Thursday 27th April.
“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,” the statement said.
“He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humour will live on.”
Springer was best known for hosting The Jerry Springer show, which ran for nearly 30 years and more than 4,000 episodes.
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The show was known for featuring outrageous guests who would air their personal and family problems in front of a live studio audience, and became so popular that it featured in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (2019).
The controversial show was cancelled in 2018 after 27 years.
Speaking on David Yontef’s Behind the Velvet Rope podcast in 2022, Springer shared his regret over the content of the show.
“I just apologise,” he told Yontef. “I’m so sorry. What have I done? I’ve ruined the culture.”
Springer was also known for hosting America’s Got Talent from 2007 to 2008, and, more recently, he presented the show Judge Jerry.
The host also appeared on UK TV numerous times throughout his career, co-hosting several episodes of This Morning alongside Judy Finnigan in 1999, as well as The One Show from 2016 to 2018.
Springer also featured on US reality shows The Masked Singer and Dancing with the Stars.
In 2008, he was the subject of BBC documentary Who Do You Think You Are? in which he discovered his maternal grandmother and paternal grandmother were killed at concentration camps.
Before his TV career, Springer served as the 56th Mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978.
In 2000 and 2004, he considered running for the United States Senate, but chose not to go ahead each time as a result of negative associations with his eponymous show.
