4pm on weekdays will never be the same. The show will air live from its Chicago, Illinois, studio at 9 a.m. CT (10 a.m. ET), he said.
The show will end on September 9, 2011, as its 25th season draws to a close, according to a letter from Harpo Inc. that President Tim Bennett addressed to partners and obtained by CNN affiliate WLS-TV.
“Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history,” Bennett wrote.
The show has been the highest-rated talk show for 23 consecutive seasons, according to the Oprah.com site. It is seen by an estimated 42 million viewers a week in the United States and is broadcast to 145 countries.
“I don’t think I could be here without her,” DeGeneres said. “I think she has blazed a trail … she is an amazing woman. She will always be the queen of daytime television … she is fantastic and I love her and I wish her the best. She deserves to rest. She has worked really, really hard.”
