Larry King hanging up his suspenders after 25 years on CNN show

NEW YORK -- Larry King, who has interviewed statesmen and stars from a prime-time perch at CNN for 25 years but has seen his ratings sag recently, said Tuesday he will step down this fall from his nightly show.

"It's time to hang up my nightly suspenders," King said in a message sent to fans via Twitter.

King said he will do occasional specials for CNN. He reached his 25-year anniversary this year and takes pride in a Guinness Book of World Records citation for hosting the longest-running show on the same network in the same time slot.

The longtime radio host was a pioneer in cable television, his desk considered a valued spot to sit for anyone interested in talking to the nation. King's interview style was plain-spoken and, critics would suggest, occasionally ill-prepared, but he was good at making his guests feel comfortable and ready to talk.

As cable news audiences gravitated toward politically pointed shows and newsmakers found many more outlets for interviews, King slipped behind Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow in the ratings. The 76-year-old broadcast veteran made people wonder if he was disconnected during interviews with the likes of Lady Gaga.

King said he felt no pressure from CNN to leave. He said he began thinking about stepping down as his 25th anniversary week ended, after he interviewed LeBron James, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga and President Barack Obama.

He's conducted an estimated 50,000 interviews during a 53-year broadcasting career.