Gwen Ifill, the co-host of PBS’ ‘NewsHour With Judy Woodruff’, died Monday after battling breast cancer. She was 61.
Ifill, who was senior correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, took an unexplained leave of absence from the nightly news show in April.
Her unexplained absence led to viewer speculation that she had taken a leave of absence to get married.
Ifill, who never married and had no children, went on leave again last week, causing her to miss the presidential election coverage.
Ifill never revealed her illness publicly.
Respected as a news journalist with honesty and integrity, she moderated 2 vice presidential debates.
PBS NewsHour executive producer Sara Just called Ifill “a standard bearer for courage, fairness and integrity in an industry going through seismic change.”
Her colleagues remembered her on social media.
“Heartbroken to learn Gwen Ifill has passed away. She was my hero, a woman who deserved all the praise she received. Honest and true,” tweeted ‘Today Show’ co-anchor Tamron Hall.
