(NewsNation) — Reflecting on the life of Jerry Springer, TV host Steve Wilkos says he was a “delight to work for.”

Wilkos was a bodyguard on “The Jerry Springer Show” and says he owes his career to Springer, who died Thursday at the age of 79.

Commenting on Springer’s character, Wilkos said he was “generous to a fault.”

“Jerry was genuinely a nice guy. It wasn’t an act, it was just who he was,” Wilkos said in an interview that aired on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “He really did care about people. He cared about the people who worked for him, their lives, their kids.”

Wilkos met his wife on Springer’s show, which aired from 1991 to 2018. It made Springer a celebrity who would go on to host a liberal radio talk show and “America’s Got Talent,” star in a movie called “Ringmaster,” and compete on “Dancing With the Stars.”

“Everything I have is really the result of knowing Jerry. I went from being a career policeman to become a talk show host, and being in TV for the last 30 years,” Wilkos said. “Jerry’s always been wonderful to me, generous, supportive, caring. Through the ups and downs, he was always there for me, and I lost a great friend today.”

Earlier in the day in an interview on “NewsNation Live,” Wilkos said, “The man, other than my father, meant more to me than anybody.”