Hugh Downs has died aged 99, his family has confirmed.
With a career spanning seven decades, the US television personality is best remembered for co-anchoring NBC’s Today show and for hosting the ABC news show 20/20.
According to the New York Times, Downs died on Wednesday in his home in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Born in Ohio, Downs made his first television news broadcast for WBKB-TV in 1945, and soon went on to become a TV regular.
Alongside Barbara Walters, he hosted both NBC’s Today show and 20/20, remembered for his iconic sign-off: “We’re in touch, so you be in touch.”
Hugh Downs has died aged 99, it has been confirmed (Image: NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Ge)
Downs also fronted the popular TV game show Concentration, which was inspired by a children’s card game of the same name.
A familiar face to US audiences, at one point the father-of-two held the world record for the most hours in front of a television camera.
Speaking about his TV career in conversation with the Archive of American Television, he said: “I thought TV was a gimmick like 3-D movies and it would just go away.
Hugh Downs hosted the ABC news magazine 20/20 until the late 90s (Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty)
“I had no idea that the tail would eventually wag the dog and treat me much kinder than radio did.”
Downs officially retired from 20/20 in 1999 and went on to do voiceover work on a number of documentaries and specials throughout the following decade.
Downs worked alongside Barbara Walters for a large portion of his career (Image: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via)
Discussing his decision to work throughout his golden years, he told USA Today: “Gosh, I’d like to lie on a beach for six weeks.
“But I knew by the end of the first hour I’d be thinking of something else to do, and I’d start doing it.”
Downs’ wife Ruth, whom he wed in 1944, tragically died three years ago.
The legendary broadcaster is survived by his children Hugh and Deirdre, his brother, Wallace, and two grandchildren.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
