Larry King: American talk show legend dies aged 87

  • Video report by ITV News Reporter Mark McQuillan

US talk show host Larry King has died in Los Angeles at the age of 87.

King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Ora Media, the studio and network he co-founded.

No cause of death was given, but former employer CNN had previously reported he was hospitalised with Covid-19.

From 1985 through 2010, King he was a nightly fixture on CNN. His show, named 'Larry King Live', won him many honours, including two Peabody awards.

The statement from Ora Media 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.

“Whether he was interviewing a US 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."