A look back at the controversial life of Phil Robertson, who dies aged 79

Phil Robertson, the bearded patriarch of the hit US reality series Duck Dynasty, has died at the age of 79.

Though celebrated by some as a voice of traditional values, he was equally known for incendiary remarks that placed him at the centre of some of the United States’ most polarising cultural debates.

Robertson’s death on 25 May followed a public battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

While Duck Dynasty brought him fame as a God-fearing outdoorsman and family man, it was his deeply controversial statements—on homosexuality, atheism, and morality—that cemented his status as both hero and villain in America’s ongoing culture wars.

In 2013, Robertson gave an interview to GQ magazine that would trigger a firestorm.

Asked about sin, he grouped homosexuality alongside bestiality and promiscuity, quoting from the Bible: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders... they won’t inherit the kingdom of God.”

He continued, “We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists... We let God sort ’em out later.”

The comments led broadcaster A&E to suspend him indefinitely, but the decision was reversed just nine days later following a backlash from conservative viewers and politicians. A Facebook campaign supporting Robertson quickly gathered over a million followers.

Two years later, Robertson reignited controversy at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where he received a First Amendment award from Breitbart News.

In a 30-minute speech, he linked the spread of sexually transmitted diseases to Nazis, beatniks and communists, and described in graphic detail a hypothetical murder of an atheist family—suggesting that without belief in God, moral boundaries collapse.

The speech went viral and drew heavy criticism from civil rights groups and media commentators, though Robertson remained unapologetic.

A lifelong conservative Christian, Robertson routinely expressed views opposing abortion, same-sex marriage and secularism. He also used his platform to endorse political candidates, including Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, and remained a fixture in evangelical political circles.

His supporters praised him as a fearless defender of religious freedom; his critics saw him as emblematic of intolerance masquerading as conviction.

For better or worse, Robertson became a symbol of the sharp ideological divides that define much of modern American public life.

While the cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, his family confirmed that he had struggled with health complications following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2024.

A private funeral and public memorial are planned.

Even in death, Robertson remains a figure of fierce debate—admired by millions for his unshakeable beliefs, and criticised by others for the harm his words inflicted.