Chuck Woolery, the game show veteran best known as the original host of “Wheel of Fortune,” has died. He was 83.

Woolery’s friend and podcast co-host Mark Young confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife Kristin by his side. A cause of death was not announced.

“He was a dear friend and life won’t be the same without him,” Young said.

Woolery hosted “Wheel of Fortune” from 1975 to 1981 before being replaced by Pat Sajak amid a contract dispute. Sajak has now retired and has been succeeded by Ryan Seacrest.

“Please don’t adjust your sets at home. Chuck Woolery hasn’t shrunk,” Sajak told viewers as he took over the show. “I was fortunate enough to end up on the set of a very successful program.”

Woolery hosted “Love Connection” from 1983 to 1994. The popular dating game show was later revived with hosts Pat Bullard and Andy Cohen. Woolery’s resume of game show appearances also includes “Scrabble,” “Greed,” “The Dating Game” and “Lingo.”

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Outside of the game shows, Woolery hosted the talk shows “The Chuck Woolery Show” and “Home & Family.” He also had a career as a musician, performing as part of The Avant-Garde, appearing as himself in numerous shows, including ‘Scrubs’, ‘Sister, Sister’ and ‘Melrose Place’.

An outspoken conservative, Woolery made headlines in 2020 after then-President Donald Trump retweeted his post claiming that the “CDC, the media, the Democrats, our doctors” were lying about the COVID-19 pandemic to boost Trump’s chances prejudice to re-election.

Woolery later clarified: “COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I sympathize with those who are suffering and especially those who have lost loved ones.”

In 2017, Woolery told The New York Times that he “got on board” with supporting Trump “out of fear of losing the Constitution altogether, out of fear of going down this hyper-socialist path.” He said on X in 2019 that he “pretty much destroyed my career by openly supporting Trump and letting everyone know I’m a conservative.”

“Sometimes painful, but true,” he wrote. “All is said and done. It was my choice and I can live with it. I would do it all again.”

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Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa.

Contributions: Bryan Alexander

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chuck Woolery dead: Original host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ was 83