US media said Thursday that Jerry Springer, a longtime talk show host whose show was known for on-air fights, swearing, and rumors of cheating, has died at the age of 79.

A family source told TMZ that Springer died peacefully at his home in Chicago after a “short illness.” Springer’s show was a big hit around the world for 27 years.

The official didn’t say anything more. Anonymous sources told TMZ that Springer had been told he had pancreatic cancer a few months ago.

“The Jerry Springer Show” began in 1991 as a normal talk show about social problems and US politics. At the time, Springer was a mild-mannered lawyer and former politician who had been the mayor of Cincinnati for a short time in 1977.

But after a few years, the son of Jewish German immigrants made a big change. He focused on scandalous and shocking topics in order to get more people to watch.

Most of the time, guests came to talk about problems in their own families and reveal adultery and other wrongdoings.

Springer was meant to try to keep the peace, but most of the time, fights broke out, and guests had to be held back by security guards.

In the late 1990s, the program dominated US daytime television ratings, even surpassing Oprah.

It stopped running in 2018.