Rachael Ray fans, prepare to say goodbye: After 17 seasons, the talk show is finally coming to an end.
On Friday, the longtime host and Food Network star told Variety that she “made the decision that’s it’s time for me to move on to the next exciting chapter in my broadcast career” after “more than 20 plus years in television” and “17 wonderful seasons working in daytime television.”
“My passions have evolved from the talk show format production and syndication model to a platform unencumbered by the traditional rules of distribution. I am truly excited to be able to introduce and develop new and upcoming epicurean talent on all platforms,” she said in a statement before divulging that she would be launching a new production company called Free Food Studios.
She added: “Thank you to all of our Rachael daytime show partners, crew and affiliates, and the wonderful years we all worked together.”
Ray began hosting her eponymous show in the fall of 2006 and it took home Daytime Emmys for best talk show in 2008, 2009, and 2019. The show notably included a variety of celebrity interviews, musical performances, life tips, and make-overs.
Of her success with the show, Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures, told Variety that Ray “was a gamechanger in the daytime space” who “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.”
“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,” he continued.
Also on Friday, Ray shared a report by Deadline on her Instagram that revealed Free Food Studios “will focus on producing, owning, and distributing ‘in the kitchen’ content created by Ray and serve as a platform for the introduction and development of new and upcoming epicurean talent.” Focus will additionally be on “developing and creating long and short form content across various platforms.”
Rachael Ray is slated to end production in early May with episodes running through the end of the summer.
