WASHINGTON — The iconic TV and radio broadcaster Larry King, who interviewed anyone worth interviewing over a career spanning six decades, died Saturday (Jan 23) at the age of 87.

The company he co-founded, Ora Media, did not state a cause of death but media reports said King had been hospitalised in Los Angeles with a Covid-19 infection. He had endured health problems for many years, including a near-fatal stroke in 2019 and diabetes.

King, with his trademark suspenders and black rim glasses, was best known for a 25-year run as a talk show host on CNN's "Larry King Live."

"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," Ora Media said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Millions watched King interview world leaders, entertainers and other celebrities on CNN's "Larry King Live", which ran from 1985 to 2010.

Hunched over his desk in rolled-up shirt sleeves and owlish glasses, he made his show one of the network's prime attractions with a mix of interviews, political discussions, current event debates and phone calls from viewers.

Even in his heyday, critics accused King of doing little pre-interview research and tossing softball questions to guests who were free to give unchallenged, self-promoting answers. He responded by conceding he did not do much research so that he could learn along with his viewers. Besides, King said, he never wanted to be perceived as a journalist.

"My duty, as I see it, is I'm a conduit," King told the Hartford Courant in 2007. "“I ask the best questions I can. I listen to the answers. I try to follow up. And hopefully the audience makes a conclusion. I'm not there to make a conclusion. I'm not a soapbox talk-show host... So what I try to do is present someone in the best light." AGENCIES