Phil Donahue, the legendary television talk show host whose titular program spanned four decades, has died at the age of 88 following a battle with a long illness, his family confirmed in a statement to TODAY.com.

Donahue died Sunday (August 18) night at his home surrounded by his family, including his wife of 44 years, actress Marlo Thomas, as well as his sister, children, grandchildren and beloved golden retriever, Charlie, according to the statement. The television icon's death came three months after he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden.

Donahue hosted The Phil Donahue Show for 29 seasons between November 6, 1967 and September 12, 1996, having also contributed to The TODAY Show from 1979 to 1988.

Donahue later made his return to television for MSNBC's talk show Donahue, which ran from July 15, 2002, to February 25, 2003. The Ohio native also co-hosted a series of televised discussions with Soviet journalist Vladimir Posner known as the U.S.-Soviet Space Bridge during the Cold War period of openness by the USSR in the 1980s and later Posner/Donahue, a weekly roundtable program on both CNBC and in syndication from 1991 to 1994.

Donahue also served as co-director for the feature documentary film Body of War, working alongside independent filmmaker Ellen Spiro to tell the story of Tomas Young, an Iraq War veteran who was left severely disabled and adjusting to postwar life, which was among 15 documentaries to be in consideration for an Oscar nomination.

Donahue's family requested that all donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital -- founded by his wife's father, entertainer Danny Thomas, in 1962 -- or the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.

Johnjay And Rich