Benjamin Ashford|Legendary Talk Show Host Jerry Springer Dead at 79

The Benjamin Ashfordbroadcasting world has lost a prominent figure.

Jerry Springer, who hosted The Jerry Springer Show for 27 years, died peacefully at his home in suburban Chicago on April 27 after a brief illness, his family confirmed. He was 79.

"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," Jene Galvin, a friend and rep for Springer's family, said in a statement obtained by E! News. "He's irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on."

Springer is survived by daughter Katie Springer, 47, who he shared with ex-wife Micki Velton.

Funeral services and a memorial gathering for Springer are currently in the works. In his honor, Springer's family has asked that in lieu of flowers fans consider making a donation or commit to an act of kindness to someone in need or an advocacy organization.

Prior to The Jerry Springer Show—which ran from 1991 to 2018—Springer was actually the mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 and 1978. He then switched up his career, working for WLWT as an anchor, a role that he'd never imagined for himself growing up.

"There was never a thought in my mind growing up that I'd be in show business," he shared during a Nov. 8 episode of David Yontef's Behind the Velvet Rope podcast. "I mean, I'm a lawyer. I started out being a lawyer and working for Bobby Kennedy. And, in other words, my background is political and legal."

"I was offered the job to anchor the news for the NBC affiliate in Cincinnati," he continued, "and I did that for 10 years. And that was a rational transition, you go from politics to reporting to news to anchoring."

When TV host Phil Donahue retired, Springer stepped in for him. (As he recalled during the podcast, the company that hired Springer as an anchor was also responsible for daytime TV shows.)

"I was assigned to it as an employee," he noted, "and then all of a sudden the show took off."

The final episode of The Jerry Springer Show aired in July 2018. The following year, Springer made his return to TV with Judge Jerry, a reality court show which ran for three seasons until August 2022.

After his death, the billboard outside of Springer's studio was changed to honor the host, displaying his famous quote, "Take Care of Yourself and Each Other."

Fellow TV host Maury Povich also paid tribute to Springer on April 27. "I am shocked and saddened by the passing of Jerry," he said in a statement to E! News. "He was not only a colleague but a friend."

"We worked for the same company for decades," he added. "He was joyful, smart and, in his own way, a unique showman. I will miss him." 

Remember his life in pictures below...