Meet Jerry Springer’s daughter, Katie Springer – the ‘trashiest TV of all time’ host’s only child had birth disabilities, teaches children with special needs, and inspired dad on Dancing with the Stars

Jan 17 , 2025

Jerry Springer and his daughter Katie Springer. The controversial TV show host generally kept his family out of the spotlight. Photo: @PanCANChicago/X

Born without nasal passages, legally blind and deaf in one ear, Katie is now married with a child and appears briefly in a new, 2-part Netflix documentary about her father’s show

Widely considered the “trashiest TV of all time”, The Jerry Springer Show remained one of the most controversial television programmes throughout its run, from 1991 to 2018.

Netflix has released a two-part documentary on Jerry Springer’s show. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Netflix’s two-part documentary, Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action explores the show’s biggest scandals on and off camera. The series began streaming on January 7.

With guests regularly getting into physical altercations in front of the camera, the show was known for its bizarre episodes, such as I’m Pregnant by My Brother, I Married a Horse and I’m Happy I Cut off My Legs. Springer, who died in 2023 aged 79, hosted his show for almost three decades.

The journalist-turned-politician-turned-TV personality is survived by his wife, Micki Velton and daughter Katie, who makes a fleeting appearance in the documentary.

Here’s everything to know about Katie Springer.

Katie Springer was born with disabilities

Katie Springer is legally blind and deaf in one ear. Photo: @PanCANChicago/X

Springer and Velton married in 1973 and welcomed their only child, Katie, in 1976. The couple were married until Springer died of pancreatic cancer in April 2023.

Katie, who was born without nasal passages, is legally blind and partially deaf.

“I’ve heard this story that when I was first born and [my parents] heard about all these problems, they just said, ‘We’re never going to treat her different, we’re going to make sure she knows she’s not different,’” Katie told TV show Access Hollywood in a 2006 interview.

She had a great relationship with her dad

Jerry Springer, who died in 2023, had a loving relationship with daughter Katie. Photo: Hearst Connecticut Media/AP