Fitness guru Richard Simmons dies aged 76, reports say

Richard Simmons, the perennial exercise personality of the 1980s who was defined by his inspirational spirit, has died, according to multiple reports.

The news was confirmed by ABC, which cited its representative. The CNN contacted his representatives, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department.

Simmons was best known for his aerobic exercise videos, including the 1988 “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” and its subsequent episodes in 1990 and 1991.

From there, and thanks to his unflappable smile and playful personality, Simmons was able to leverage his early stardom with regular appearances on all sorts of TV shows, from “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” to several others, including “Match Game” and “The New Hollywood Squares”.

He was a regular presence in the early morning hours of the 90s and 2000s on shows hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman.

Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday earlier this week.

“Thank you… I’ve never received so many birthday messages in my life!” Simmons wrote in a post shared on X on Friday (12) . “I’m sitting here writing emails. Have a lovely rest of your Friday. Love, Richard.”

He has remained out of the public eye in recent years, but the circumstances surrounding his whereabouts and well-being have provided a fair amount of material on the internet.

Simmons has occasionally shared personal updates on his social media pages, writing in one post January on Facebook: “I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful.”

He recently spoke to the magazine People on the occasion of his 76th birthday on Friday (12). He joked that he would celebrate by blowing out a birthday candle “in a zucchini” in a nod to his history as an advocate for good health and self-care.

“I feel good! I’m grateful to be here, to be alive for another day,” Simmons said at the time. “I’m going to spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is helping people.”