King had endured health problems for many years, including a near-fatal stroke in 2019 and diabetes.  (Photo: Reuters)

Los Angeles, January 23 (RHC)-- Renowned U.S. television broadcaster Larry King has died at the age of 87 in Los Angeles.  A production company he co-founded, Ora Media, did not state a cause of death on Saturday, but media reports said King had been battling COVID-19 for weeks and had suffered several health problems in recent years, including a near-fatal stroke in 2019 and diabetes.

He had been hospitalised at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for more than a week, CNN said on Saturday.

Millions of people watched him 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.

“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.