Ellen DeGeneres announced that her upcoming season would be her last, earlier in May.
Singer and talk show host Kelly Clarkson will soon replace Ellen DeGeneres after the latter's show ends with the 19th season in 2022. According to People, the singer's eponymous show will be moved to the time slot of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022.
That's not all. In the 19th and final season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Clarkson will be paired with DeGeneres. "These are remarkable achievements for a talk show in its second season. We look forward to Ellen DeGeneres' 19th season paired with Kelly Clarkson for what is sure to be a blockbuster year. By 2022, The Kelly Clarkson Show will be the star of our daytime entertainment schedules and an asset to our early afternoon newscasts," said Valari Staab, president of NBCUniversal Local to Hollywood Reporter.
Tracie Wilson, executive VP of NBC Universal Syndication Studios, stated, "The Kelly Clarkson Show is one of the most optimistic success stories in first-run syndication. It is a treasured part of NBCUniversal Syndication Studios offering and we are proud to partner with the NBC Owned Television Stations group to continue the show's success."
Further, Wilson claimed that she was looking forward to seeing Clarkson's talk show grow in the coming years. "Kelly and our entire production team put their heart, intent, and incredible passion into making a show that resonates with people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. We're working on some big plans for season three and are looking forward to becoming the premier show in daytime for years to come," she said.
The news comes just weeks after DeGeneres spoke of her decision to end her decades-old talk show. Speaking to Hollywood Reporter, she stated, " When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun, as it is, it's just not a challenge anymore."
While many thought her decision was motivated by the workplace toxicity allegations, DeGeneres cleared the air and claimed it had nothing to do with her decision. However, she admitted that the accusations left her in pain.
"It almost impacted the show. It was very hurtful to me. I mean, very. But if I was quitting the show because of that, I wouldn’t have come back this season. So, it’s not why I’m stopping. But it was hard because I was sitting at home, it was summer, and I see a story that people have to chew gum before they talk to me and I’m like, 'Okay, this is hilarious,'" said the host, according to Metro.
The allegation against DeGeneres went public in July 2020. As a result, an internal investigation was conducted.
Meanwhile, sources close to the 63-year-old host stated that she believes ending the show is the right thing to do.
"It's sad that the show ends like this, but Ellen seems confident that she made the right decision. After the toxic workplace allegations, the question was more when will [the show] end and not if it will end," said the insider. Another source said that DeGeneres had been considering a break from her eponymous show for a while.
"She was almost out the door before the controversy. She's been talking about leaving for a few years now, but that was definitely the last straw," said the insider, according to People.
References:
https://people.com/tv/kelly-clarkson-to-take-over-ellen-degeneres-daytime-talk-show-slot-in-2022/
https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/12/ellen-degeneres-ending-talk-show-after-18-seasons-amid-appalling-ratings-14569549/#metro-comments-container
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photos by (L) Jared Siskin and (R) Jon Kopaloff
