Legendary American TV personality, Larry King has died at the age of 87.

A statement was posted on his verified Facebook account announcing his passing. His son, Chance, confirmed King’s death on Saturday morning.

“With profound sadness, Ora Media announces the death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,” the statement said.

“For 63 years and across the platforms of radio, television and digital media, Larry’s many 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 conduit between the guest and audience.”

The message adds: “Whether he was interviewing a U.S. president, foreign leader, celebrity, scandal-ridden personage, or an everyman, Larry liked to ask short, direct, and uncomplicated questions. He believed concise questions usually provided the best answers, and he was not wrong in that belief.

“Larry’s interviews from his 25-year-run on CNN’s Larry King Live and his Ora Media programs Larry King Now and Politicking With Larry King are consistently referenced by media outlets around the world and remain part of the historical record of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

The statement concludes: “Ora Media sends our condolences to his surviving children, Larry Jr., Chance, Cannon and the entire King family.

“Funeral arrangements and a memorial service will be announced later in coordination with the King family, who ask for their privacy at this time.

King had been hospitalized with Covid-19 in late December at Cedars-Sinai, a source close to the family said at the time.

He battled a number of health problems over the years, suffering several heart attacks. In 1987, he underwent quintuple bypass surgery, inspiring him to establish the Larry King Cardiac Foundation to provide assistance to those without insurance.

More recently, King revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and successfully underwent surgery to treat it. He also underwent a procedure in 2019 to address angina.

King’s TV career, which spanned many decades, featured long-running slots on CNN. He was also a columnist at USA Today. These made him one of the most acknowledged celebrity interviewers in the world.