Steve Wilkos Reacts to Jerry Springer’s Death: Read Statement


Steve Wilkos and Jerry Springer
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Perpetually in his coronary heart. Steve Wilkos has damaged his silence in regards to the dying of his former TV mentor, Jerry Springer.

“Apart from my father, Jerry was probably the most influential man in my life. The whole lot I’ve at this time, I owe to Jerry,” Wilkos, 59, advised Us Weekly in an announcement on Thursday, April 27. “He was the neatest, most beneficiant, kindest individual I’ve ever identified. My spouse [Rachelle Wilkos] and I are devastated. We’ll miss him terribly.”

Us confirmed earlier on Thursday that Springer had died at his Chicago residence. He was 79.

“Jerry’s potential to attach with individuals was on the coronary heart of his success in all the things he tried whether or not that was politics, broadcasting or simply joking with individuals on the road who needed a photograph or a phrase,” household spokesperson Jene Galvin advised Us in an announcement. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, however reminiscences of his mind, coronary heart and humor will stay on.”

Galvin continued: “To recollect Jerry, the household asks that in lieu of flowers you contemplate following his spirit and make a donation or decide to an act of kindness to somebody in want or a worthy advocacy group. As he at all times mentioned, ‘Maintain your self, and one another.’”

Springer, who battled a quick sickness forward of his passing, notably hosted his eponymous daytime present between 1991 and 2018. All through his TV tenure, the season 8 Masked Singer alum sparked a friendship with Steve after the army veteran was employed as one of many safety guards for The Jerry Springer Present. Steve was even tapped as an alternative host for Springer throughout his 2006 run on Dancing With the Stars.

“I obtained employed to work safety on the present for in the future, so I assumed I might simply be there and be gone however then I used to be being employed to do increasingly more reveals,” Wilkos recalled on Every day Blast Dwell in September 2022. “You recognize, Jerry got here as much as me and began speaking to me in the future whereas I used to be sitting outdoors and we each actually liked baseball and we began speaking about baseball and the subsequent factor you understand, when Jerry actually began changing into big, he didn’t need to journey by himself and he requested me to journey with him. You spend that a lot time collectively on the street [and] we grew to become very shut.”

After 10 seasons on Springer’s program, Steve in the end left to host his personal eponymous collection. He has since helmed the Steve Wilkos Present for greater than 15 seasons.