Jerry Springer Dead: Steve Wilkos Reacts to Former Host's Passing

Steve Wilkos, who rose from a security guard on Jerry Springer to hosting his own talk show, paid tribute to his mentor on Thursday. Wilkos called Jerry Springer the "most influential man" in his life, outside of his father. Springer died on Thursday at 79 near Chicago, a few months after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

"Other than my father, Jerry was the most influential man in my life. Everything I have today, I owe to Jerry," Wilkos, 59, said in a statement to Us Weekly. "He was the smartest, most generous, kindest person I've ever known. My wife [Rachelle Wilkos] and I are devastated. We will miss him terribly."

Wilkos also spoke with Access Hollywood after the sad news broke, confirming that he saw Springer for the last time earlier this year. "I saw Jerry a little over a month ago. It was a Wednesday, I got done taping and he sent me a text he goes, 'Hey, I was in New York I'm coming up I'd love to see ya,'" Wilkos explained.

Although Wilkos didn't know it would be their final meeting, he said it had more emotional weight than their usual get-togethers. "We reflected a lot and we shared a lot of old stories and he embraced me in a way that he'd never really embraced me. He gave me a hug and was telling me he loved me. I think he knew he was sick. I didn't even know he was sick until this morning because he looked the same to me," Wilkos explained. "I knew there was something off, but I certainly didn't know he had a terminal illness, or whatever he had. I think this was his way of saying goodbye to me."

Wilkos was still a Chicago police officer when Jerry Springer producers hired him and other off-duty officers as security in 1994. He began working exclusively for the show in 2001 and retired from the force in 2004. He soon became a fan-favorite and scored his own show, The Steve Wilkos Show, in 2007. The tabloid talk show is filmed in 2007 and continues airing weekdays.

Springer revolutionized the talk show genre with his eponymous show, which he hosted from 1991 to 2018. The host often made fun of the series himself, acknowledging his role in "ruining" culture. "No, I just apologize. I'm so sorry. What have I done? I've ruined the culture," Springer told the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast in November 2022 when asked if he likes being considered the "grandfather" of reality television. "I just hope hell isn't that hot because I burn real easy. I'm very light-complected, and that kind of worries me."

Springer is survived by his wife, Micki Velton, and his daughter, Katie. "Jerry's ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word," family spokesperson Jene Galvin said in a statement Thursday. "He's irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart, and humor will live on."