Phil Donahue honored by TV vets: Oprah, Katie Couric, Ricki Lake

Television icons are paying tribute to legendary broadcaster Phil Donahue.
After the former “Phil Donahue Show” host’s death was confirmed on Monday by a family spokesperson, Oprah Winfrey honored him for paving the way for her own success.
“There wouldn’t have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously,” Winfrey wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two. “He was a pioneer. I’m glad I got to thank him for it. Rest in peace Phil.”
Donahue hosted his influential talk show, which incorporated participation from the studio audience, from 1967 to 1996.
Winfrey has previously said that while Donahue “may not have invented talking to people on television, he just did it better than anyone who came before him,” and “all of us who came after Phil Donahue owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude.”
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Marlo Thomas, who was married to the talk show icon for over 40 years, addressed Donahue’s death via an Instagram post Monday.
The “That Girl” actress thanked fans for their “beautiful messages of love and support” and “for the wonderful and generous way that you’ve let Phil and me share our life adventure with you over the years.”
“As a man who spent his career loving his audiences, Phil got such a kick out of our cozy little community here, and I know he would be very touched by the heartwarming thoughts and memories you’ve been sharing,” Thomas wrote alongside a throwback photo of the couple.
She concluded: “I hope that you will continue to hold close those you cherish most, just as I was blessed to do with my beloved Phillip.”
Journalist Katie Couric said on Instagram she was “so sad” to hear the news of Donahue’s passing, while longtime Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera said on X that the loss “deeply saddens me.”
“He was a hero, a talk show pioneer who inspired me to try my hand at the genre he invented,” Rivera wrote. “What an (sic) historic figure.”
He added, “He was the most important talk show host ever. He recognized that the daytime TV audience was under served. He remembered the home makers, and gave them an avenue to the rest of the world. A giant has passed.”
TV host Ricki Lake also said on Instagram she was “raising a glass in honor” of Donahue.
“Phil was an absolute legend and a pioneer in the talk show space,” she wrote, adding, “So honored to stand beside him at Oprah’s show celebrating talk show icons in 2010. Such a warm, super supportive and brilliant man. Grateful for the path he paved and the legacy he has left behind. May he rest in peace.”
Fellow talk show veteran Montel Williams said Donahue was the “godfather of the genre” and that he “broke barriers with audience participation on pressing issues, setting a standard that many of us strive to live up to.”
“Live with Kelly and Mark” co-host Kelly Ripa posted a photo of herself with her husband Mark Consuelos, Donahue and his wife, Marlo Thomas.
“Good friends are hard to come by and even harder to lose. To a life well lived. We love you Marlo and will miss Phil eternally 💔” she captioned the post.
“Sally” host Sally Jessy Raphael credited Donahue with laying the foundation for her 12-season talk show.
“He was one of the finest broadcasters in American television,” she wrote on social media. “His show changed the way we talked, what we talked about, and gave a voice to everyone. If there wasn’t a Phil Donahue, there would have never been a Sally Jessy Raphael.”
A family spokesperson told USA TODAY that Donahue died following a long illness and was surrounded by family members and “his beloved Golden retriever, Charlie.”
Contributing: Bryan Alexander and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY