TV legend Larry King dies aged 87
WITH his trademark braces and laid-back, convivial style, he became the most famous talkshow host in the world.
Larry King, who died in Los Angeles of complications from Covid-19 yesterday, aged 87, enjoyed a sixdecade career, including 25 years as host of CNN’s Larry King Live.
He interviewed every US President since Richard Nixon, Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair and showbiz icons from Marlon Brando to Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga. Hugh Grant apologised to then girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley on King’s show after being caught with a prostitute.
King prided himself on never preparing for interviews and asking ‘ gentle’ questions. Married eight times to seven different women, he said: ‘I don’t like to talk, the secret is to listen. I’m not in this game to hurt anyone. I like to think of myself as a safe haven for the famous and infamous.’
Tributes poured in last night, including one from Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose spokesman said: ‘The president has always appreciated his great professionalism and unquestioned journalistic authority.’ Mail on Sunday columnist Piers Morgan, who replaced King on CNN in 2010, said: ‘Larry King was a hero of mine until we fell out after I replaced him at CNN and he said my show was “like watching your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new Bentley”… he was a brilliant broadcaster and masterful TV interviewer.’
Barack Obama described King’s show as ‘must-watch television’, adding: ‘You know you’ve made it when you sit across from Larry.’