The legendary game show host and television personality died at the age of 83

Chuck Woolery, the iconic host of the game shows “The Dating Game,” “Love Connection” and “Wheel of Fortune,” died over the weekend. He was 83 years old.

Woolery died at his home in Texas, by his wife Kristen’s side. according to the Associated Press. On Sunday, the news outlet received an email from Woolery’s friend and podcast co-host Mark Young, who wrote: “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith. Life won’t be the same without him,” Young wrote.

Woolery got his first break as the first host of Wheel of Fortune in 1975. He stayed there until 1981, when he hosted “Love Connection,” “Scrabble” and a revival of “The Dating Game.”

Woolery hosted game shows for more than 30 years, ending in 2007 with the airing of “Lingo” on the Game Show Network.

He was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and coined iconic phrases such as “we’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds” throughout his hosting career.

After hosting the show, Woolery tried his hand at Reality TV, and in 2003, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned” premiered on the Game Show Network. The show only lasted six episodes.

The title of the show was based on one of his songs – Woolery was the lead singer of the orchestral pop band “The Avant-Garde”. Their most famous song, “Naturally Stoned”, reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.

He also worked as a songwriter for singers including Pat Boone and Tammy Wynette, helping write songs such as “We Can Sure Love Each Other” and “The Joys of Being a Woman,” according to the Associated Press.

Most recently, Woolery has been a podcaster.

He co-founded the political podcast “Blunt Force Truth” with Young. According to Related pressWoolery’s topics ranged from minorities not needing civil rights to COVID conspiracies.

Woolery was born and raised in Kentucky and served in the Navy after high school. Young said he is survived by his wife, sons Michael and Sean, and daughter Melissa.