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Phil Donahue: Trailblazing talk show host dies aged 88

Across a career spanning several decades, Donahue was considered the "king of daytime talk".

Over his career, Donahue interviewed well-known figures including Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis Jr, Sir Elton John, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dolly Parton and Michael J Fox. Donahue was credited with changing the face of daytime television and challenging assumptions about what female audiences in particular wanted from talk shows. "He was the first to acknowledge that women are interested in more than mascara tips and cake recipes - that we're intelligent, we're concerned about the world around us and we want the best possible lives for ourselves."

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