US TV fitness guru Richard Simmons has died a day after his 76th birthday. Famously hyperactive, he built a mini-empire in trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons died at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday, his publicist, Tom Estey, said in an email to the Associated Press.
He gave no further details. Los Angeles police and fire departments said they responded to a house where a man was declared dead from natural causes. Simmons, who revealed in March that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer, had recently dropped out of sight, sparking speculation about his health and wellbeing.
His death was first reported by TMZ. As a teenager, Simmons weighed more than 19 stone but went on to become a master of many media forms, sharing his hard-won weight-loss tips as host of the Emmy-winning daytime Richard Simmons Show and author of best-selling books and the diet plan Deal-A-Meal. He also opened exercise studios and starred in exercise videos, including the hugely successful Sweatin’ To The Oldies” line, which became a cultural phenomenon.
“My food plan and diet are just two words – common sense. With a dash of good humour,” he told the Associated Press in 1982. “I want to help people and make the world a healthier, happy place.
” Simmons embraced mass communication to get his message out, despite becoming the butt of jokes for his outfits and flamboyant flair. He was a sought-after guest on TV shows led by Merv.
