Ed Schultz, Former MSNBC Host, Dies at 64

Ed Schultz, The Ed Show (Credit: MSNBC)

Ed Schultz, former host of The Ed Show on MSNBC, died Thursday at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 64.

His son, David Schultz, told The Associated Press that his dad died of natural causes.

“He was an unbelievable father and husband,” David said. “His family and friends are extremely, extremely sad right now. And we thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers, as well as privacy for our family though this time.”

Schultz began his broadcast career as a radio and TV personality in Fargo, North Dakota, in the 1980s.

Read MoreMichael Moore’s Anti-Trump Doc Will Arrive Before November Election

He hosted a nationally syndicated radio program from 2004 to 2014, but was best known for his left-leaning weekday news and talk program, The Ed Show, which ran on MSNBC from 2009 to 2015.

He joined RT America, a Russian-owned TV network, in 2016.

Schultz hosted News with Ed Schultz, a nightly program for the international network up until his death.

“We are devastated by the news of the sudden death of our brilliant anchor, one of the best TV-Journalists in America,” RT America said in a statement on its website.

“Ed was more than a colleague, he was a close and true friend,” said RT America News Director Mikhail Solodovnikov. “He was a big-time professional and a tough fighter. Between us I always called him a ‘gladiator.'”

Schultz is survived by his wife, Wendy, and six children.