Renewal of ‘Jennifer Hudson Show’ brings light to daytime TV as two talk shows approach end

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In 2022, Jennifer Hudson surprised many people when she came close to achieving a long-held goal: hosting her own daytime talk show.

Okay, so at that moment, she’d just achieved something incredible – becoming the youngest person ever to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. As a movie and TV fanatic, I knew that was a HUGE deal. But she also knew, and it was something I’d seen happen a lot, that daytime talk shows are seriously tough. So many big names try it and just… fizzle out. It’s a really cutthroat world, and she was stepping right into it.

She didn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, just before “The Jennifer Hudson Show” was set to launch, she described it as the ideal birthday gift.

She expressed her excitement about the opportunity, saying it felt like a dream come true. Speaking near the show’s set at Warner Bros. Studios, she explained that if she wasn’t working on her birthday, this is exactly what she’d want – to be performing. She thrives on challenges and isn’t afraid of difficult situations, promising she’ll always give it her best effort.

The talk show host was thrilled to learn her program will return for a fifth season. This news is especially welcome after recent announcements that Kelly Clarkson and Sherri Shepherd will be leaving the daytime television scene.

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I was really sad to hear that Kelly Clarkson’s daytime talk show is ending! After seven amazing seasons – and a Daytime Emmy win, no less – ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ is signing off. It’s been a great run, and I’ll definitely miss it.

As a big talk show fan, it’s kind of amazing to me that only Hudson and Drew Barrymore are really left doing that classic celebrity chat format these days. Drew’s been doing her own show since 2020, and it feels like they’re the last ones keeping that tradition alive. Tamron Hall does a talk show too, but it’s more about current events and what’s happening in the news, so it’s a different vibe.

People in the entertainment industry believe that Hollywood’s financial struggles, combined with the growing popularity of video podcasts hosted by celebrities like Amy Poehler, Conan O’Brien, and Dax Shepard – as well as shows like “Smartless” with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes – have significantly damaged traditional daytime talk shows.

Well, the daytime TV world has been buzzing since February when Kelly Clarkson announced she’s wrapping up her Emmy-winning talk show after this current season, citing personal reasons. And then, almost immediately, we heard that Sherri Shepherd’s show was also getting canceled – producers blamed it on changes in what viewers want. Sherri herself has been pretty vocal about how hard she fought to keep it on the air, which just adds another layer to this whole situation. It’s been a rough few weeks for daytime TV, that’s for sure.

Ever since the recent news, people have been talking about what’s next for Hudson’s show. While many initially doubted she’d be a good fit for daytime television, she’s proven to be a charming and relatable host. She’s built a strong connection with her audience and consistently brightens the show with music, often performing with her guests.

The show has heavily used social media to highlight its unique “Spirit Tunnel” – a corridor where staff enthusiastically cheer on celebrities as they head to the stage. This tradition has become incredibly popular online, racking up over six billion views according to the producers.

After nearly 20 years on air, Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show concluded in 2022 and was succeeded by “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” The show was produced by Warner Bros.

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Sherri Shepherd spoke about the cancellation of her show for the first time, saying she’s still looking forward to bringing joy to viewers. She also playfully warned guests not to take anything from the set.

Talk show experts point out that what we’re seeing now is similar to the ‘trash talk’ era of the 1990s. Back then, shows like ‘Sally Jesse Raphael’ and ‘Jerry Springer’ were known for heated arguments and controversial subjects, often dealing with intimate topics.

Daytime television has always experienced periods of change, and this is just another one of those shifts,” explained Rachel Schwartz, who leads both the Daytime and Children & Family Emmy Awards. It seems video podcasts are now driving this current change.

Podcasts are becoming incredibly popular, and this is changing what people watch on daytime TV. Unlike traditional interviews, podcasts often focus on a single celebrity, creating a more intimate experience – it feels like listening to a conversation between friends, and allows guests to be more relaxed and open.

Pamela Rutledge, who studies how people interact with media, explains that while daytime talk shows provide a consistent and familiar experience, podcasts allow celebrities greater creative control, a more personal connection with listeners, and increased influence, all without the limitations of traditional television.

Podcast hosts usually act more like conversational partners than traditional hosts or moderators. Talk shows, on the other hand, fall somewhere in between feeling truly personal and being genuinely exciting. They’re too structured with time limits, pacing, and commercials to feel completely intimate, but also too controlled to be truly thrilling.

Rutledge explained that it’s getting more expensive for TV producers to run studios, pay for staff, and host live audiences. As a result, they’re increasingly turning to digital and social media platforms, which advertisers find more appealing.

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2026-02-20 14:33