(NewsNation) — Game show host and animal rights activist Bob Barker died Saturday morning at the age of 99.
The cause of his death is not immediately available.
Barker’s publicist announced his passing on behalf of Barker’s close friend Nancy Burnet.
Burnet said in a statement “I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker, and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally. We were great friends over these 40 yrs. he will be missed.”
Barker spent more than 50 years in television, retiring as the host of “The Price is Right” in 2007.
Born in 1923, Barker served in the Navy at the end of World War II before going to college and graduating with a degree in economics. He went on to become a radio host before moving to television in 1956.
Over the course of his career, Barker won 19 Daytime Emmy Awards, an Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1999 and in 2004 was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
He was also a longtime animal rights activist, founding a charity to help people spay and neuter their pets and donating to animal rights causes.
This is a developing story. Please check back for more details.
