87-year-old talk show host Larry King has been moved out of the intensive care unit at a Los Angeles hospital and is breathing on his own, a spokesman said on Monday.
King was moved to the ICU on New Year’s Eve and was receiving oxygen but is now breathing on his own, said David Theall, a spokesman for Ora Media, a production company formed by King.
The CNN star is reportedly battling the virus alongside other health issues he has had in the past.
King’s family told CBS News in a statement that he “continues to improve. He and his sons thank everyone for the outpouring of support and can’t wait to get him home.
“They also thank the medical workers and staff at Cedars-Sinai and hospitals elsewhere who are providing care to so many people under extraordinary circumstances.”
King whose television career spans decades was at high risk due to his age and has suffered lung and prostate cancer as well as having suffered from a heart attack in the past. He then also endured another near-fatal stroke in 2019, that had left him in a coma ‘for weeks’.
King had a rough 2020 as he lost two children in 2020.
The talk show star paid tribute to his daughter Chaia King and son Andy King; who both died within three weeks of each other unexpectedly over the summer.
Following the deaths of his children, the television star released a statement saying; “It is with sadness and a father’s broken heart that I confirm the recent loss of two of my children, Andy King, and Chaia King”.
“Both of them were good and kind souls and they will be greatly missed. Andy passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack on July 28th; and Chaia passed on August 20th, only a short time after having been diagnosed with lung cancer.”
He added, “Losing them feels so out of order. No parent should have to bury a child. My family and I thank you for your outpouring of kind sentiments and well wishes.
King is best known for his work on The Larry King Show as well as a long list of other television and radio podcasts including several iconic celebrity interviews.