Bob Barker’s girlfriend of 40 years has broken her silence to pay tribute to the late ‘Price is Right’ host.

Nancy Burnet, 97, was first romantically linked to Bob in 1983 – two years after his wife died – and was together with the iconic broadcaster until he died from natural causes on Saturday (26.08.23) aged 99.

Referring to their animal rights work, Nancy said in a statement to Page Six about Bob: “I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,”

Nancy, who founded United Activists for Animal Rights in 1987, and added about Bob: “We were great friends over these 40 years. He will be missed.”

A spokesperson for Bob confirmed he had passed away by saying: “It is with profound sadness that we announce that the World’s Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker has left us.”

CBS, the network behind ‘The Price is Right’, said: “We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker.

“During his 35 years as host of ‘The Price is Right’ Bob made countless people’s dreams come true and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to ‘come on down.’”

Bob and Nancy worked together on various projects to aid in animal rights and in 2018 the TV host donated more than 400 acres in Moreno Valley, California, to the Donkeyland charity, which works with injured and sick wild donkeys and burros.

The pair kept a relatively low profile after Bob exited ‘The Price is Right’, but in December Nancy gave fans a hopeful update on his health.

She told Fox News: “He’s in very good health for his age and his humour is still in good shape. He’s had a very charmed life.”

Before his relationship with Nancy, Bob was married to Dorothy Gideon for 35 years before her death from lung cancer in 1981.

The couple didn’t have children and Bob never remarried.