Bobby Rivers, TV Personality and Food Network Alum, Dead at 70

Bobby Rivers, a veteran television and radio personality whose credits included hosting Food Network’s Top 5, died on Dec. 26 at age 70.

“Bobby passed away last night and is no longer in any pain,” his sister Betsy shared on Facebook.

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Rivers started his career writing weekend newscasts at WRIT-FM (Milwaukee), and after applying five times, he got hired as a morning newsman at WQFM (based out of Nanticoke, Pa.). From there, he went on to host segments for PBS’ Talking Ebony and deliver movie reviews for WISN-TV’s syndicated PM Magazine series.

After leaving PM Magazine in 1983, Rivers headlined a new morning talk show called More, then became an entertainment reporter for WPIX-TV in New York City.

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In 1987, Rivers was offered a late-night guest VJ spot on VH1 that evolved into a full-time gig — and then into a job hosting an eponymous celebrity interview program for VH1, Watch Bobby Rivers.

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) remembered Rivers as a “trailblazing television personality” and an “enthusiastic and knowledgeable film fan at heart…. we will miss him sharing his love of the classics with the #TCMParty community and his thoughtful essays on his blog.”

Come 2002, Rivers was named host of Food Network’s Top 5, where he took “colorful trips back in time to see how your favorite treats made it to the American Bandstand of food.”

Acting-wise, Rivers guested on an episode of the original The Equalizer and also played a news anchor in two episodes of HBO’s The Sopranos.

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