Regis Philbin’s official cause of death has been confirmed as coronary artery disease.
The TV legend tragically passed away at the age of 88 last week, and according to a coronary report obtained by E! News, it has now been confirmed the former ‘Live with Regis and Kelly’ host died from myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease.
The news comes after Regis’ wife Joy and their daughters – Jennifer, 45, and Joanna, 47 – spoke about about the late star’s passing.
In a joint statement to People magazine, they said: "He let everyone into his life. He turned every little daily annoyance and happiness into a story, and he shared all those little stories with people in a joyful and conversational way. It made his audience feel like they were right alongside him – because they were."
Regis’ family had previously confirmed his passing in a separate statement, which was issued over the weekend.
It read: "We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday. His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him – for his warmth, his legendary sense of humour, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss."
Regis walked away from ‘Live!’ – which he hosted alongside Kelly Ripa – in 2011, but hosted a string of other well-known shows during his career, including ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ and the first season of ‘America’s Got Talent’.
The TV star was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2006 and received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2003.