The Rachel Ray Show is ending after more than 20 years on the air.
The Rachel Ray Show is ending after more than 20 years on the air, and fans are devastated. The cooking show debuted in 1996 and has been a staple of daytime television ever since. Fans are mourning the end of an era, with many taking to Twitter to share their sadness. Here’s why The Rachel Ray Show is ending and what fans can expect from her next project.
What happened to The Rachel Ray Show?
Rachel Ray has been hosting The Rachel Ray Show since 1996, when it first debuted as simply The Early Show. It ran for four seasons under that name before being renamed in 2000. It’s hard to believe that it’s been around for so long, but in 2018 a report revealed that viewership was down 21% from the previous year.
Why did The Rachel Ray Show end?
“I have loved being your hostess all these years,”
Ray said in a statement released by NBCUniversal. “But my life has changed and I’m ready for something new.” She continued: “I am excited about starting this next chapter of my career, especially because I will continue to work with many of you every day.”
Ray’s contract with NBCUniversal was set to expire at the end of 2019. She had already signed a deal with Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network for her own daytime talk show that will debut in 2020.
“My goal has always been to make this show better every single year,” she said. “And I feel like we’ve accomplished that.”
In addition to her new daytime talk show, which will premiere on OWN later this year, she also signed a deal with NBCUniversal where she will develop new programming for broadcast TV networks as well as cable networks including Bravo and E! Entertainment Television Networks.
