Daytime talk show host Jerry Springer has died, according to a family representative. The former-politician-turned-TV-icon gained notoriety with his series The Jerry Springer Show, which often devolved into the comical and controversial. He is survived by his daughter and sister.
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'TMZ' confirmed the sad news with Jerry's family.
A family representative told the news outlet that Jerry died peacefully in his Chicago-area home on Thursday. The 79-year-old had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months ago, but things took a turn for the worse this week. The person explained that his death came after a "brief illness" believed to have been tied to his cancer diagnosis.
Jerry became a household name thanks to his hit show.
The Jerry Springer Show ran from 1991 to 2018 and often covered attention-grabbing issues such as love triangles, paternity scandals, and other sordid stories that seemed ripped from the pages of a grocery store tabloid. Jerry later starred on the courtroom show Judge Jerry, which ran for just three seasons, ending in 2022.
The TV star got his start in politics.
In 1971, he served on Cincinnati's city council, eventually becoming mayor in 1977. Although he only served one term, it seems he made an impression wherever he went.
"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," lifelong friend Jene Galvin said in a statement shared by ABC News.
Surprisingly enough, Jerry could also carry a tune.
The beloved TV personality's final appearance gave him a chance to show off his singing chops. He was a contestant on the last season of The Masked Singer, where he performed a Frank Sinatra song while dressed as "The Beetle." Up until March, when his cancer battle began in earnest, he hosted a folk music show on a local Cincinnati radio station.
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Tributes have been pouring in on social media.
Fans and former guests alike have been sharing their reactions and memories from the show that many claimed "raised them" and forever changed the landscape of daytime television.
Jerry is survived by his older sister, Evelyn, and his daughter, Katie Springer. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.
