Larry King is leaving prime-time TV after 25 years. Larry King is leaving prime-time TV after 25 years. (CNN/Associated Press)

Larry King says he's stepping down this fall from the prime-time show that has anchored CNN's lineup for 25 years.

All manners of statesmen, newsmakers and Hollywood stars have sat across his desk for plain-spoken interviews during the past quarter-century, but Larry King Live has recently been suffering in the ratings and there's been speculation about his future.

The 76-year-old broadcast veteran said in a message he sent via Twitter: "It's time to hang up my nightly suspenders."

In a note on his blog on CNN, he writes:

"I would like to end Larry King Live, the nightly show, this fall and CNN has graciously accepted, giving me more time for my wife and I to get to the kids’ little league games," he said.

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"I’ll still be a part of the CNN family, hosting several Larry King specials on major national and international subjects."

King said he will do occasional specials for CNN. He reached his 25-year anniversary this month 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 long-time 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 opinionated 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.

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 U.S. President Barack Obama.

He's conducted an estimated 50,000 interviews during a 53-year broadcasting career. King said if it was up to him, American Idol host Ryan Seacrest would be the best choice to fill his shoes.