Bobby Rivers, the prolific movie critic and entertainment reporter renowned for his contributions to the Food Network and VH1, has passed away at the age of 70. WISN-TV reported that the TV personality died on Tuesday.

Originally associated with WISN, the Wisconsin television station where he began his journalism career, Rivers passed away on December 26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as confirmed by his sister, Betsy Rivers, in a Facebook post: “Bobby passed away last night and is no longer in any pain.”

In the 1970s, Rivers graduated from Marquette University and made history in 1979 by becoming Milwaukee’s first Black film critic on television. He later elevated his career by hosting VH1’s Watch Bobby Rivers and the Food Network’s Top 5.

During his tenure with VH1 in the late 1980s, Rivers conducted interviews with A-list actors and musicians, including Paul McCartney, Meryl Streep, and Mel Gibson. His journey continued in 2002 when he transitioned to the Food Network after serving as an entertainment correspondent for WNBC and WNYW.

Beyond his hosting roles, Rivers made notable appearances in TV shows such as The Equalizer and The Sopranos, as well as The Onion News Network’s video podcast, In the Know, as indicated by his IMDB page. His multifaceted career has left a lasting impact on the realms of film criticism and entertainment reporting.