Before turning the page to close the old chapter and start a new one with hopes of a better year, let's take a moment to remember some of those celebrities who have left us this year.
- December 31, 2020
AceShowbiz - Though he had retired as the host of nationally syndicated talk show "Live!", which he had hosted for more than two decades, in 2011, TV viewers still could not forget Regis Philbin. Rarely appearing in public since his departure from the daytime show, the TV presenter was gone forever on July 24, 2020 after being plagued with a number of health issues in the years prior.
In March 2007, he underwent triple bypass surgery because of plaque in his arteries. Later in December 2009, he had a hip replacement surgery. Philbin, who was once called "the hardest working man in show business," eventually died from a heart attack due to coronary artery disease on July 24, a month before his 89th birthday. His friend and former colleague Kelly Ripa honored her former "Live!" co-host on the show, "We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act."
