By Adesoba Toluwalope
American television and radio host, Larry King, has died, aged 87, after few weeks of battling with coronavirus.
He passed away on Saturday morning, January 23, 2021 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles.
A statement posted online by his Ora Media company confirmed the sad news.
It read: “With profound sadness, Ora Media announces the sad death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King.
“For 63 years and across the platforms of radio, television and digital media, Larry may thousands of interviews, awards and global acclaim stand as a testament to his unique and lasting talent as a broadcaster.
“Additionally, while it was his name appearing in the shows, ‘titles’, Larry always viewed his interview subjects as the true stars of his programs, and himself as merely an unbiased conduct between the guest and audience.
“Whether he was interviewing, a U.S President foreign leader, celebrity, scandal-ridden personage or an everyman, Larry liked to ask short, direct, uncomplicated questions.
“He believed concise questions usually provided the best answers, and he was not wrong in that belief.”
Born November 19, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, United States. Larry King was moved Sunday from the ICU at a Los Angeles hospital, where he continues to be treated for COVID-19.
He has been in the hospital for about 10 days before giving up the ghost. Larry had contracted the virus from a healthcare worker who went to his home.
One of his sons also contracted the virus, according to a source.
He worked tirelessly and retired from CNN in 2010 after 25years of hosting the interview show, “Larry King Live.”
He returned to broadcasting in 2012 with “Larry King Now”.
Ora TV also reported that King had suffered a heart attack.
Larry King told “Extra”, it’s been a rough year.
“I don’t remember anything since March. “I had the stroke in March.
The next year, his son Andy King 65, died of a heart attack and his daughter Chaia King, 51, died after a lung cancer battle.
King was admitted to hospital in Los Angeles in January after contracting Covid-19.
His death comes after years of health problems that plagued the star over the years including battles with lung and prostate cancer.
He also survived a heart attack in 1987 and a near-fatal stroke in 2019, that had left him in a coma for weeks.
King was born Lawrence Zeiger in Brooklyn, New York and began his career as a journalist after moving to Florida.
He started off in radio, landing his first on air presenting gig in 1957 and going on to adopt his new name of Larry King on the advice of his station manager.
He legally changed his name two years later.
