Rachael Ray Announces Major Career Move, Ends 17-Year Run on Daytime Television
Rachael Ray announced Friday that her long-running daytime cooking show “Rachael Ray” is coming to an end.
“In my more than 20 plus years in television I have had 17 wonderful seasons working in daytime television with ‘Rachael,’” Ray said in a statement, according to Deadline.
“However I’ve made the decision that it’s time for me to move on to the next exciting chapter in my broadcast career.”
Ray has started a production company called Free Food Studios.
“My passions have evolved from the talk show format production and syndication model to a platform unencumbered by the traditional rules of distribution. … That is why I am looking forward to putting all my energies into my recently announced production arm, Free Food Studios,” Ray said.
“Thank you to all of our ‘Rachael’ daytime show partners, crew, and affiliates, and the wonderful years we all worked together.”
Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures, said Ray’s show changed the face of daytime TV.
“When Rachael debuted her show 17 years ago, she was a game-changer in the daytime space. She made cooking accessible to the masses, taught viewers simple solutions on how to improve their lives and coaxed great stories out of celebrity guests with her relatable down-to-earth demeanor,” he said.
“We’re proud to have produced such a successful show with Rachael and her team for so many years. We’ll miss Rachael on the air every day, but we’ll always be family.”
Ray began her TV career as a recurring guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” before launching her own show in 2006.
“Rachael Ray” was nominated for 37 Daytime Emmys, winning Outstanding Talk Show in 2008, 2009 and 2019.
According to Variety, the show’s once-strong ratings have declined.
In its reporting on Ray’s exit, Deadline noted that daytime TV has recently undergone some major changes.
Shows such as “Dr. Phil,” “Judge Mathis” and “The People’s Court” will be ending after this season, the outlet reported.
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Wendy Williams Show,” “Maury” and “Dr. Oz” have ended in the past year.
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