Legendary Price Is Right host Bob Barker, who died last month at age 99, had been quietly battling Alzheimer’s disease.
According to TMZ, Barker’s official death certificate lists Alzheimer’s as the cause. The TV icon never publicly addressed his condition.
More from TVLine
“We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker,” CBS said in a statement on August 26. “During his 35 years as host of The Price Is Right, Bob made countless people’s dreams come true and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to ‘come on down.’ In addition to his legendary 50-year career in broadcasting, Bob will be remembered as a dedicated animal rights activist. Daytime television has lost one of its most iconic stars.”
For 35 years, Barker served as host of The Price Is Right, starting with the current version’s premiere in 1972. Wielding his signature skinny microphone while taking bids from contestants, Barker was a beloved staple of daytime TV, helping make The Price Is Right a consistent ratings winner and the longest-running game show in TV history. He retired in 2007, handing the skinny mic over to current host Drew Carey.
“Very sad day for the Price Is Right family, and animal lovers all over the world,” Carey wrote on Twitter. “There hasn’t been a day on set that I didn’t think of Bob Barker and thank him. I will carry his memory in my heart forever.”
Best of TVLine
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
Click here to read the full article.