UK mourns Jerry: Trisha Goddard leads British tributes to ‘gentleman’ talk show king Springer after his death from cancer aged 79
- Tributes pouring in from Brit stars including Trisha Goddard and Piers Morgan
- Trisha revealed she and Jerry Springer shared an assistant and first met in 1999
Tributes have been pouring in since news broke of the death of US talk show host Jerry Springer, including from British stars who knew the beloved TV personality well.
Among them was TV presenter Trisha Goddard, who rose to fame on her ITV chat show Trisha in the late nineties before moving across the pond, where she met Jerry.
The pair shared a close bond, as Trisha revealed in an emotional tribute on Sky News today.
‘I know everyone is going on about him in his talk show host guise but we knew him as a gentleman, really, really sweet person who showed me a lot of kindness when I came from the UK.’
The British star revealed that she and Jerry shared an assistant and have known each other for over 20 years.
British talk show star Trisha led tributes to Jerry Springer after his death was announced today
Trisha revealed that she and Jerry shared an assistant and have known each other for over 20 years
The Jerry Springer Show host died peacefully at home in suburban Chicago after a brief illness, a statement said.
‘I’ve just been on the phone crying, we shared a PA… it’s like a family. He was so good to me, I knew him personally.
‘When I was stressed once he gave me a pink fluffy nightgown and slippers which I’ve still got
Trisha explained that they had first met in 1999 in New Orleans, as both were working as part for the broadcaster NBC Universal.
‘It’s a family, the NBC Universal media centre is just around the corner from where I live now in Connecticut.
‘He was kind, he was funny. He used to say ‘Goddard you take it too seriously! You care about people too much!’
She said she would tease him in return; ‘You don’t care about people enough!’
In another tribute, Piers Morgan said he loved working and joking with Jerry Springer, writing: ‘Jeez, this sucks. TV icon & such an intelligent, warm, funny man.
‘Loved working with him (on America’s Got Talent), loved hanging out with him (we lived in same hotel for 2yrs), loved arguing with him (he loved his politics), loved everything about him. Gutting.’
A statement from his family confirmed that he passed away ‘peacefully’ at his home in Chicago after being diagnosed with cancer
Springer called it ‘escapist entertainment,’ while others saw the show as contributing to a dumbing-down decline in American social values
Springer first entered the political arena as an aide in Robert F. Kennedy´s ill-fated 1968 presidential campaign
Family spokesman Jene Galvin said: ‘Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word.
‘He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.’
On his Twitter profile, Springer jokingly declared himself as ‘Talk show host, ringmaster of civilization’s end.’