Kathie Lee Gifford Shares Touching Tribute After Death of 'Precious Friend' Regis Philbin

By Amanda Thomason July 27, 2020 at 12:17pm

There’s a special kind of grief that people share when a beloved celebrity passes away. Regis Philbin was definitely one of those stars, and his passing has saddened an entire community.

“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” his family told Fox News on Saturday.

“His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss.”

While countless fans have voiced their condolences, other celebrities have used their platforms to commemorate the famed game and television show host’s life.

“We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin,” Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa shared on Instagram. “He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes every day on Live for more than 23 years.”

“We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire every day to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place.”

Kathie Lee Gifford also took to social media to voice her grief over the loss of a dear friend.

“REGIS. There will never be another,” she tweeted.

REGIS. There will never be another.

— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) July 25, 2020

On Facebook, she shared more of her thoughts, touching on his humor, their friendship, his faith and his family.

“There are no words to fully express the love I have for my precious friend, Regis,” her post from Saturday began. “I simply adored him and every day with him was a gift.”

“We spent 15 years together bantering and bickering and laughing ourselves silly — a tradition and a friendship we shared up to this very day.”

“I smile knowing somewhere in Heaven, at this very moment, he’s making someone laugh. It brings me great comfort knowing that he had a personal relationship with his Lord that brought him great peace.”

“I send all the love in my heart to Joy, to his children, to the rest of his family and to the innumerable people he touched over his legendary life. There has never been anyone like him. And there never will be.”

Gifford also spoke about Regis on “Today with Hoda & Jenna,” saying that while the term “beloved” is often thrown around in reference to celebrities, it absolutely applies to Regis.

The video highlighted a bunch of heartwarming and hilarious moments involving Regis and Kathie that show why he was admired and loved by so many, and is a fitting tribute for such an unforgettable man.

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