Phil Donahue, the celebrated host of a groundbreaking daytime talk show, has passed away at the age of 88.

Donahue passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 18, at his home after a long illness. According to a statement provided to Today, he was surrounded by his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, along with his sister, children, grandchildren, and his cherished golden retriever, Charlie.

Phil Donahue’s influential media career began in the late 1950s. Born in 1935, he started as a local correspondent in Ohio, eventually creating his own talk show. Originally aired on a local CBS affiliate in Dayton, Ohio, the program moved to a local NBC affiliate in 1967. By 1970, the show was syndicated nationwide.

His talk show became known for its bold coverage of various controversial topics, such as interviews with the former grand wizard of the KKK and discussions about child abuse in the Catholic Church.

The Phil Donahue Show, later shortened to Donahue, set the stage for future daytime talk shows. Notably, it was the first to allow audience members to ask questions directly to guests.

In an interview with WGN, Donahue reflected, “One day, I simply walked into the audience, and it became clear that the Donahue show wouldn’t have been the same without that interaction.”