Regis Philbin Passed Away!

Regis Philbin, the American iconic television host passed away.

Regis Philbin, a legendary television personality who had a career spanning over 60 years has passed away. He was recently interviewed by Jimmy Kimmel this year when they decided to launch primetime, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.

The beloved TV personality who hosted Live! with Kathy Lee Gifford and later Kelly Ripa has passed away from natural causes at the age of 88.

Philbin is a media personality, game show host, actor, singer, and comedian. He was one of the hardest working men in showbusiness.

Kathy Lee Gifford, Kelly Ripa, Donald J. Trump and others paid tribute to the great entertainer.

REGIS. There will never be another.

— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) July 25, 2020

One of the greats in the history of television, Regis Philbin has passed on to even greater airwaves, at 88. He was a fantastic person, and my friend. He kept telling me to run for President. Holds the record for “most live television”, and he did it well. Regis, we love you....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2020

....And to Joy, his wonderful wife who he loved so much, my warmest condolences!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2020

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We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place. - Kelly and Ryan

A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on Jul 25, 2020 at 1:12pm PDT

Regis was a great broadcaster, a good friend and a tremendous amount of fun. He leaves behind a beautiful family and a TV legacy that will likely go unmatched. Regis, I hope our friend Rickles met you at the pearly gates with open arms and a slew of the insults you loved so much

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) July 25, 2020

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We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes every day on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire every day to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place. - Kelly and Ryan

A post shared by Ryan Seacrest (@ryanseacrest) on Jul 25, 2020 at 1:16pm PDT

I’m absolutely heartbroken. Regis was an incredible man who could light up any room. He always made me feel special no matter if I saw him in the studio or ran into him on the street. Legend and Icon aren’t strong enough words to describe him. He will never be forgotten!! pic.twitter.com/DXqv0OCjX0

— Michael Strahan (@michaelstrahan) July 25, 2020

Regis Philbin was such a prolific talent. He could do it all, and we loved him for it. I will miss him every day. My heartfelt condolences to Joy and his family. pic.twitter.com/SUSyEdReS7

— Larry King (@kingsthings) July 25, 2020

That title belongs also to James Brown, Larry King, Steve Harvey, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Strahan and Bill Cunningham.

Regis Francis Xavier Philbin was born in 1931. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most hours on U.S. television. His trademarks include his excited manner, his New York accent, his wit and his irreverent ad-libs.

Live! host Kelly Ripa pens a heartfelt tribute to her former co-host and friend.

Born in the Bronx, Regis graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He also had a stint in the U.S. Navy before joining the entertainment industry. He served as a page for The Tonight Show in the 1950s. He got his first exposure in television as the sidekick for Joey Bishop.

"We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday," said the statement sent to CNN Saturday. "His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him -- for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about."

"We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss," the statement said.

Philbin was the host of numerous television shows, including the morning talk show "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee," which he co-hosted with Kathie Lee Gifford. Co-hosting duties were later taken over by Kelly Ripa and the show was renamed "Live with Regis and Kelly."

Over the years, Philbin also hosted Miss America pageants and game shows like ABC's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."

Regis with his longtime friend Kathy Lee Gifford.

Philbin was nominated for 37 Daytime Emmy Awards throughout his career and won six, and he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. In 2006, Philbin was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Philbin holds the world record for most hours on US television, according to Guinness World Records, with more than 16,700 hours on air.

Philbin's longtime co-host Kathie Lee Gifford responded to the news on Twitter, writing simply, "REGIS. There will never be another."

In a statement posted on Instagram, Ripa and her current co-host, Ryan Seacrest, said they were "beyond saddened" to learn of Philbin's death.

"He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years," the statement said. "We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show."

Tributes to Philbin poured in on social media, including from President Donald Trump, who wrote on Twitter, "One of the greats in the history of television, Regis Philbin has passed on to even greater airwaves, at 88. He was a fantastic person, and my friend."

Fellow longtime TV and radio host Larry King shared a picture with Philbin on Twitter, calling him "such a prolific talent."

"He could do it all, and we loved him for it," King wrote. "I will miss him every day."