Jim Bakker, the co-founder of "The PTL Club" and a prominent figure in Christian television, has died at age 86.

Jim Bakker, who rose to prominence as a co-founder of the evangelical "The PTL Club" television show, has died at age 86. His death was announced by his wife, Lori Bakker, on Monday, October 5. While a cause of death was not immediately disclosed, Bakker had previously suffered a stroke in 2020.

Rise of a Media Empire

Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Bakker began his career in ministry alongside his first wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, whom he married in 1961. After working with Pat Robertson at the Christian Broadcasting Network, Bakker launched the PTL Satellite Network in 1974. "The PTL Club" became a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s, featuring guests and Christian entertainers in a talk-show format that drew up to 13 million nightly viewers at its peak. The ministry also expanded to include the Heritage USA theme park and hotel in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Later Career and Legacy

Following his departure from the PTL ministry in 1987, Bakker continued his work in media. Since 2003, he had hosted "The Jim Bakker Show" from his home base near Branson, Missouri. His life and career were the subject of several portrayals, including the 1990 NBC television film "Fall from Grace" and the 2021 theatrical film "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," which earned Jessica Chastain an Academy Award for her portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker.