Photo by: David Livingston/Contributor
Actress, comedian Sherri Shepherd is back on daytime television!
Shepherd officially announced her new talk show Sherri this week and said it’s set to premiere in September.
“I’ve wanted to do my own talk show since I left “The View” in 2014!,” she wrote on Twitter.
Shepherd’s new show will replace the The Wendy Williams Show, which premiered in 2008. According to Debmar-Mercury, Lionsgate’s distributing company, Wendy Williams‘ popular and frequently contentious daytime talk show is coming to an end after 14 years.
“Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now,” Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein, the company’s co-presidents said in a release.
The former co-host of The View has frequently guest-hosted in Williams’ absence.
Williams, an entertainment media icon, has been out of action for the show’s 13th season due to a medical leave stemming from her long struggle with Graves’ illness.
Shepherd, who previously appeared on the show alongside Michael Rappaport, expressed her joy at the prospect of embarking on her new adventure and thanked Williams for the opportunity.
“I am so excited to have my dream come true and debut my very own talk show … in the fall,” said Shepherd in the release. “I can’t wait until I return to New York to host the show and merge everything I love … pop culture, talk, entertainment, and comedy. I … look forward to this new journey.”
Williams’ spokesperson has since released a statement to Deadline, including the fact that she understands why the decision was made from a business point of view, and she could possibly return to TV should her health get to a point where she can host again.
Marcus and Bernstein reflected on the moment as “a bitter-sweet moment for us and our partners at Fox. We all have a great love and affinity for Wendy, who grew into a true icon during her 12 incredible seasons as the solo host of a live, daily talk show.”
Shepherd will also executively produce Sherri alongside media personality Jawn Murray and David Perler, who will continue in his job as showrunner on The Wendy Williams Show, which he has had for the previous 12 seasons.
We can’t wait to watch Sherri! Congratulation to Sherri Shepherd!
