Marlo Thomas has paid tribute to her late husband, talk show legend Phil Donahue.
The host of The Phil Donahue Show died Sunday at age 88 at his home, surrounded by family members, including his actress wife.
She wrote on Instagramaccompanied by a sweet photo of the couple on a motorbike on holiday: ‘I’m sure by now you’ve heard the sad news that I lost my loved one last night.
‘I know you understand that I will be stepping away from this page for a while to take care of myself and the many people who have cared for Phil and loved him.
Marlo Thomas, 86, has paid tribute to her late husband, talk show legend Phil Donahue (pictured together, in happier times, during a European vacation)
“But I didn’t want to leave without thanking you all for the wonderful messages of love and support I’ve received throughout the day,” the 86-year-old actress said.
‘[A]and for the wonderful and generous way in which you have allowed Phil and me to share our life adventure with you over the years.’
She continued: ‘As a man who has spent his entire career loving his audience, Phil got so much satisfaction out of our cozy little community [on social media]and I know he would be deeply touched by the heartwarming thoughts and memories you share.
“Until I return, I wish you good health and happy days in the company of family and friends. I hope you will hold those closest to you close, as I was fortunate to do with my beloved Phillip,” Donahue’s second wife said.
“Love, Marlo,” she signed, sharing a throwback photo of the couple on a European vacation.
“PS This is one of my favorite photos of Phil and I,” she wrote.[T]aken on holiday.
Numerous responses followed with words of comfort for a woman who had been married to Donahue for 44 years.
The couple met on the set of his show in 1977, with Donahue as host and Thomas as guest.
Donahue was married to Thomas for the past 44 years, having fathered five children. His youngest, Honolulu attorney James Donahue, died nearly a decade ago to the day from a sudden aneurysm at age 51.
The couple (seen here on the set of the Phil Donahue show) met on the program in 1977 – with Donahue as host and Thomas as guest
The two married just three years later, after Thomas felt an instant “chemistry” with the TV talker, she revealed in a 2015 post on Gacebook.
“Phil and I met in 1977 on his talk show ‘Donahue,’” Thomas, who continues to act and produce, wrote at the time.
“He flirted, I giggled, and his TV audience watched as we fell in love.”
The couple married in 1980 and had five children.
Meanwhile, the show continued, with Donahue hosting such luminaries as Bill Clinton, Muhammad Ali, Johnny Carson, Ayn Rand and Nelson Mandela on his influential show over the course of another 16 years.
He also won 20 Emmys: 10 for best host and 10 for the show as a whole.
Just last month, Marlo posted a more recent photo of the icon on Instagram, showing him on a farm in Canada, feeding a horse.
Unlike when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden in May, he now stood up on his own with the aid of a cane, looking healthy and happy in the idyllic setting.
The recording was made at least a year and a half ago, during the filming of Hallmark’s A Magical Christmas Village, in which Thomas played the lead role,
HGis show featured spots featuring famous figures such as Bill Clinton, not to mention Muhammad Ali, Johnny Carson, Ayn Rand and Nelson Mandela
Ali and fellow boxers Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes and Ken Norton are featured in a particularly memorable segment that aired in November 1989 called Champions Forever
Oprah Winfrey – who is worth more than $3 billion since following in Donahue’s footsteps – said in 2002: “If there had been no Phil Donahue show, there would have been no Oprah Winfrey.”
Over the course of his career, Donahue won 20 Emmys – 10 for Outstanding Host and 10 for Overall Show
“Phil and I met on his talk show, ‘Donahue,’ in 1977,” Thomas wrote in 2015, recalling “the instant chemistry.” She added, “He flirted, I giggled, and his TV audience watched us fall in love.” The couple would marry in 1980 and have been married ever since
The actress remembered the occasion with a loving caption in a letter to her 145,000 followers: ‘Here’s a favorite photo of Phil feeding the horses in the morning near the house we stayed at in Canada.
‘A wonderful way to start the day!’
Since then, many tributes have poured in for the beloved TV personality, whose approach to daytime television set a precedent for household names such as Oprah Winfrey, Geraldo Rivera and Sally Jesse Raphael.
Winfrey, who is worth more than $3 billion, famously said in 2002, “If there had been no Phil Donahue show, there would have been no Oprah Winfrey.” On Monday, she released her own statement echoing those sentiments.
“There would be no Oprah Show if Phil Donahue had not been the first to prove that daytime talk shows and women who watch them should be taken seriously,” she wrote.
“He was a pioneer. I’m glad I was able to thank him for that. Rest in peace Phil.”
Donahue is survived by his wife, sister, children and grandchildren, all of whom were with him when he passed away.