Larry King dead: US talk show king dies aged 87

Larry King [Photo: Courtesy]

American talk show legend Larry King has died aged 87. King was admitted to hospital in Los Angeles In January after contracting Covid-19. His death comes after years of health problems that plagued the star over the years including battles with lung and prostate cancer.

He also survived a heart attack in 1987 and a near-fatal stroke in 2019, that had left him in a coma for weeks. King was born Lawrence Zeiger in Brooklyn, New York and began his career as a journalist after moving to Florida. He started off in radio, landing his first on-air presenting gig in 1957 and going on to adopt his new name of Larry King on the advice of his station manager. He legally changed his name two years later.