The Jennifer Hudson Show returns for its third season on Monday, September 16 with a renewed focus on joy, positivity and inspiration, the show said Tuesday. 

Premiere week guests include Angela Bassett, Sofía Vergara, Dave Bautista and Marlon Waywans. Already booked to appear are such celebrities as Andrea Bocelli, Saweetie, Kristen Bell, Ariana DeBose, Rob Lowe, Jimmy Kimmel, Terence Howard, Sterling K. Brown and more. The show, with a theme this season of “choose joy,” also will continue to feature “uplifting content that resonates deeply with viewers” with a focus on “community heroes.”

The show is premiering one week after CBS’ Drew Barrymore, which returned for Season 5 on Monday, September 9 and two weeks after Disney’s Live with Kelly and Mark and Tamron Hall. NBCUniversal’s The Kelly Clarkson Show returns a week later on Monday, September 23, as does Debmar Mercury’s Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd.

The Jennifer Hudson Show airs for one hour each weekday on such station groups as Fox Television Stations, Hearst Television, Sinclair, Tegna, Nexstar Media Group, the E.W. Scripps Co. and Gray Media Group, among others. 

The Jennifer Hudson Show is produced by JHUD Productions and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures. It’s distributed in national syndication by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT) winner Jennifer Hudson executive produces along with Andy Lassner, Corey Palent, Graehme Morphy and Walter Williams III. 

The Jennifer Hudson Show will spend the week of April 8 with the cast of ABC’s Emmy-winning comedy, Abbott Elementary. 

Series star and creator and multiple Emmy-winner Quinta Brunson, who plays optimistic second-grade teacher Jeanine Teagues at the fictional Philadelphia school, will kick off the week on Monday, sitting down with Hudson in the show’s Burbank, California, studio. Also appearing that day is Deanna Dixon, known on social media as “The Rideshare Queen.” Dixon’s viral videos boast more than 20 million views and include carpool karaoke, cab confessions and personal chat.

Tyler James Williams, who stars as fellow teacher Gregory Eddie, shows up on Tuesday along with Dorian Missick, who stars in Netflix’s new movie, Shirley, about Black Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s historic run for president in 1972.  Janelle James, who plays Principal Ava Coleman, and William Stanford Davis, also known as the school janitor, Mr. Johnson, come by on Wednesday. 

Thursday brings Emmy-winner Sheryl Lee Ralph, who stars as kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard, and Chris Perfetti, who plays eighth-grade teacher Jacob Hill. Finally, Lisa Ann Water, who stars as the questionably-connected second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti, drops by on Friday.

Besides the cast appearances, Jennifer Hudson is launching an Abbott Elementary-themed Watch and Win sweepstakes, also starting Monday. Participants can win a bundle of Abbott Elementary merchandise as well as a poster signed by Jennifer Hudson.

Produced by JHUD Productions and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures and distributed in national syndication by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, The Jennifer Hudson Show is executive produced by EGOT-winner Hudson, who also serves as host, along with Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, Corey Palent, Graehme Morphy and Walter Williams III.  The Jennifer Hudson Show is renewed for a third season on the Fox Television Stations and across the country.

Jennifer Hudson is partnering with HGTV for a week of home renovation and lifestyle programming starting February 19. 

The programming event is a nifty bit of co-promotion: daytime talker Jennifer Hudson is produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Group while lifestyle cable network HGTV is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Slated to appear during the week are such HGTV stars as Home Town’s Erin and Ben Napier; Page Turner from Rock the Block; Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt from 100 Day Dream Home; and Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson from Married to Real Estate. In addition, Cole and Chelsea DeBoer from Down Home Fab; Dave and Jenny Marrs from Fixer To Fabulous and Fixer to Fabulous: Italiano; Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott from Celebrity IOU and Lil Jon from Lil Jon Wants To Do What? will  appear. The week also will feature non-HGTV guests will.i.am, country music star Brandy Clark, actress Sanaa Lathan, and country singer Kane Brown. 

Jennifer Hudson has been renewed for a third season on both the Fox Television Stations and the Hearst-owned stations. In the week ended January 26, the show hit its season-best numbers with a 0.6 in households and 918,000 households, according to Warner Bros. The show also is up 14% over the prior year among young adults 18-34, Warner Bros. said.

That week featured guests Common, who confirmed his romantic relationship with Hudson, as well as Paris Hilton and Snoop Dog. 

Jennifer Hudson is produced by JHUD Productions and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures and distributed in national syndication by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. Hudson -- a rare Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT) winner -- also executive produces along with Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, Corey Palent, Graehme Morphy and Walter Williams III. 

As 2023 comes to a close, syndication’s one big swing for 2024 looks to be Debmar-Mercury’s talker starring and executive produced by Ken Jeong. Other potential offerings include a true-crime strip from Warner Bros. Discovery’s Telepictures, one or two shows from Sinclair and possibly new games from CBS Media Ventures and Sony Pictures Television.

It’s early, though, as station groups and studios are making budget decisions before deciding whether to go forward with their latest projects. 

Producers and their station partners face a paradox. TV stations have plenty of room for new shows, particularly because many stations are airing repeats of out-of-production shows — such as Judge Judy, Dr. Phil, Maury, Jerry Springer and various court shows — and double- and triple-running these and other programs. But stations don’t feel they can afford to pony up cash for new original fare — especially in low-rated daytime — even though they could clear the space for it. 

Producers also are unwilling to bring shows to the market unless there’s a strong sense they can be profitable.

“To be successful, the shows need to be sustainable. The general principle is that you can’t go into this business with blinders on, pretending that there’s a path to success when there isn’t,” Sinclair chief innovation officer Scott Ehrlich said.

“It’s a math problem,” Fox Television Stations executive VP, programming and development Stephen Brown said. “You have to come up with good [intellectual property] and then you have to back into the number that it’s going to get. You have to be fiscally responsible.” 

That’s a marked difference from the days when producers would just take a chance, do some marketing and cross their fingers that daytime viewers would show up and turn their program into a hit. 

“Stations are looking at their bottom lines and saying, ‘Why are we paying money for something that’s going to get a 0.1 or 0.2 in the demo?’ ” Brown said. “The market is what the market is.”

Some Shows Still Get Cash

That’s not to say that there are no shows for which stations will pay cash. Cash changes hands for all of the big-name talk shows, including Disney’s Live With Kelly and Mark, NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson, CBS’s Drew Barrymore, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Jennifer Hudson and Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri. 

Debmar-Mercury thinks stations will pay cash for its project with Ken Jeong, who stars on Fox’s The Masked Singer and I Can See Your Voice. Debmar-Mercury is positioning the show as an afternoon new lead-in, and there’s a need for such shows, especially with both Judge Judy and Dr. Phil, former 4 p.m. anchors, exiting original production in the past few years. 

“There’s no 4 p.m. show in the marketplace right now that someone looks at and says, ‘Wow, that’s my news lead-in,’  ” Debmar-Mercury co-president Ira Bernstein said. 

Added Debmar-Mercury co-president Mort Marcus: “There is room for new programs. Stations need shows. The mistake would be if everyone does the lower-tier shows. If you keep taking low-end swings, it’s unlikely you are going to get a big hit.”

Station groups might be willing to ante up for Ken Jeong if any of the current batch of talk shows go away. Debmar-Mercury’s own Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, was renewed for two seasons last year.

WBD is standing firmly behind Jennifer Hudson, in its second season and on the Fox Television Stations as its launch group.

“We’re building Jennifer Hudson to be a long-term franchise for the studio and our hope is to be in business with her for many years,” Matt Matzkin, executive VP, business operations and production for Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, said.

Veteran talkers Tamron Hall, Drew Barrymore and Kelly Clarkson are all expected to return. That means that all of the space and budget allocated for talk shows on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliate groups is occupied. That could block Ken Jeong’s entry in 2024. 

In the meantime, companies that produce those talk shows are working hard to expand their brands and keep them on the air.

NBCUniversal this season moved Kelly Clarkson to New York City, where it’s produced out of NBC Studios in 30 Rockefeller Center.

“New York audiences are better for live TV — we’re putting 200 people in the seats every show and Kelly is really feeding off that audience,” Tracie Wilson, executive VP, syndication and E! News, NBCUniversal, said. “It feels joyful when you’re there.”

NBCU also is continuing to back its new conflict talker, Karamo, starring
Karamo Brown and now in its second season. The show is up 25% in total viewers and 31% in households compared to last year, according to NBCU research. 

“We heard from our clients that creatively they wanted us to up the ante a little bit,” Wilson said. “So we met with Karamo and the production team and we really honed in on how we could keep Karamo distinct to who he is while delivering to stations what they are looking for in this lineup. Stations are really resonating with what we are delivering for them.”

This month, NBCU rolled out new promos for Karamo that include Maury Povich and Steve Wilkos, the three stars of the shows that form NBC’s block of conflict talkers.

Beyond that, Sinclair is preparing to enter the marketplace with one or two shows developed in concert with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation creator Anthony Zuiker. While station groups have seen pitches for three shows from Sinclair, only one or two are likely to go forward this fall, said Ehrlich.

“Part of our challenge is we have so many great show ideas but we have to be realistic about what the shelf space is,” Ehrlich said. “Sinclair has not brought shows to the market like this before, so we want to be thoughtful about how we enter the market.”

WBD has been pitching stations on a true-crime strip. In 2015, Telepictures produced a daily strip called Crime Watch Daily, created and produced by the producers of entertainment magazine Extra. It aired for three years before it was canceled in 2018 but the website, now called True Crime Daily, has remained active. Like Crime Watch Daily, the new show comes from Extra’s producers.

And former CBS distribution executive Scott Koondel is in the market with Judy Justice and possibly Tribunal Justice, both off of Amazon Freevee and created by Judge Judy Sheindlin. Whether either of the shows will get cleared for 2024 remains unclear,
although if they do it is expected to be on an all-barter basis. 

Making such a deal a little more difficult is the fact that stations already carrying Judge Judy repeats seem unwilling to rock that boat. “I would not want to mess with something that still is effective for us,” Frank Cicha, executive VP, programming, Fox Television Stations, said.

Also in favor of Judge Judy, which CBS is actively renewing in the market, is that it performs well for stations during political years. The majority of political spending next year will take place in September and October — early in the 2023-24 broadcast season — as campaigns race toward Election Day.

While audience fragmentation and the move to streaming has made syndication a far more challenging business, stations are expanding their platforms while broadcast networks are contracting. The result is that TV stations need more programming than ever, and that need is only expected to grow. Figuring out the best way to finance that is the challenge going forward. 

“I would be hard-pressed to say that syndication right now is vibrant but it continues to be relevant,” Sean O’Boyle, executive VP and general sales manager, domestic television distribution, NBCUniversal, said. “As fragmented as the market is, stations still need content.”

Supply and Demand

NBCU, under O’Boyle’s leadership, has had a lot of success with repackaged episodes of Dateline and off-network runs of Dick Wolf’s Law & Order and Chicago franchises. It’s exactly the kind of content TV stations are turning to when they can’t afford original, exclusive shows. “These shows are cost-effective and lots of stations have a need for that sort of programming,” O’Boyle said. 

Producers are making other cost-cutting moves as well, such as moving production to places where there is a strong tax credit in place, such as Atlanta.

“We are going to move all or most of our shows to Atlanta,” Fox’s Brown said. “We have to. That’s the trend. That 30% tax break means that when you are talking about an $8 million show, it’s now $6 million. When your margins are that thin, you have to be smart about it.”

Despite the challenges, companies still see opportunities in syndication.

“We are very committed to the syndicated marketplace,” WBD’s Matzkin said. “From the pandemic to the present day, we are looking for ways to turn creative opportunities into business enterprises that make sense. It’s been an exciting challenge but one that we are here for.”

Said Erlich: “We think that the broadcast platform continues to be a place
in which we want to invest and where we want to keep seeing great content coming first. It may take a cocktail of windows to make these shows successful, but that’s life in 2023.” 

With the writers strike over, daytime shows are finally premiering their new seasons after initially having to delay.

On Monday, CBS’s The Talk posted on Instagram that it would debut next Monday, October 9. The Talk originally had been scheduled to premiere on Monday, September 18, but was forced to delay after Drew Barrymore, star of her own eponymous talk show, posted a lengthy video apology on Instagram for deciding to go ahead with her own show’s return. The post created an outcry among Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA members — all of whom were on strike at the time — and two days later, Barrymore posted that the show would not go on while pulling the apology video. CBS Media Ventures’s The Drew Barrymore Show still has not announced a return date, although it’s expected to come back this month.

That forced the hand of Warner Bros.’s Jennifer Hudson, which stayed quiet through the fracas, and CBS’s The Talk, which had seen protests outside its Radford studio prior to deciding to delay. After moving off of its initial plan to return on Monday, September 18, Hudson opens its second season on Monday, October 2, with first-week guests Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan, coaches on NBC’s The Voice, as well as Taye Diggs, Cedric the Entertainer and Shaquille O’Neal. 

Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri had to return to repeats just two days after it debuted season two on Monday, September 18, because host Sherri Shepherd came down with COVID-19. The show returned to originals on Tuesday, September 26, with guest comedian Leslie Jones, who has written a memoir.

NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson, which is entering its fifth season, still has not announced a premiere date after the show relocated from Los Angeles to New York City. 

Jennifer Hudson was the only strip in daytime to report a ratings rise in the largely stable week ended February 5. 

Warner Bros.’ rookie talker matched its highest rating since the week ended October 31, with a 17% gain to a 0.7 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Jennifer Hudson tied fellow talk rookie, Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri, hosted by Sherri Shepherd, which stayed put at a 0.7 for the third straight week and the 13th time in the past 17 regularly scheduled weeks. Both Jennifer Hudson and Sherri have been renewed to return next season.

NBCU’s Karamo, hosted by Karamo Brown, remained at its season high 0.4 for a seventh straight week. 

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which has been the sole talk leader for the past 21 weeks, held at a 1.6 for a second week. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.6, followed by CBS Media Ventures’ Dr. Phil at a 0.5 and Sherri at a 0.4. Jennifer Hudson matched its demo high, gaining 50% gain to a 0.3 from a 0.2. 

Second-place Dr. Phil, which will conclude production in May, slipped 7% to a 1.4 in households. 

NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson held at its season-high 1.0 for a third straight week and was the most improved show in the top three, beating its performance from the same week last year by 11%. 

CBS’ Drew Barrymore, Disney’s Tamron Hall, CBS’ Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, library episodes of NBCU’s Maury and repeats of NBCU’s Jerry Springer talk-and-court combo were all stable at a  0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.4, respectively.

Evergreen episodes of CBS’ Judge Judy continued to lead the courts with a steady 4.6. 

CBS’ Hot Bench fell back 8% to a second-place 1.2. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis, Fox’s Divorce Court and Wrigley Media’s Relative Justice were all in line with the prior week’s 0.8, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.

Allen Media Group’s We the People with Judge Lauren Lake landed at a 0.3 for an 11th straight week. Trifecta’s true-crime newcomer iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas captured a 0.5 for a seventh consecutive week. 

CBS’ Jeopardy! added 3% to a syndication-leading 6.0, making it 18 weeks at the top for the game-show leader. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune rolled to a 5.5 with a 2% advance to be second in syndication for the ninth time in 10 weeks. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud completed the gaming triumvirate, climbing 2% to a new season-high 5.4.

Fox’s 25 Words or Less lodged a 0.8 for a second week, followed by Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno which lost 13% to a 0.7. CBS’ newcomer Pictionary, starring Jerry O’Connell, erased 20% to a 0.4, tying Allen Media Group’s Funny You Should Ask, which held steady for a third week.

Magazines were led by CBS’ Inside Edition, which edged up 4% to a 2.4, and CBS’ Entertainment Tonight, which climbed 5% to a 2.3. Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight were the category’s only gainers going into the 65th annual Grammys on Sunday, February 5 on CBS. NBCU’s Access Hollywood and Fox’s TMZ both broke even  and remained tied at a 0.8. Warner Bros.’ Extra preserved its 0.6 and was the only magazine to improve in the key demo, advancing 50% among women 25-54 to a 0.3 and tying Access Hollywood. Fox’s Dish Nation descended 33% to a 0.2 from a 0.3. 

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-network sitcoms while continuing to orbit at a 2.0 for a second week. Disney’s Last Man Standing stumbled 8% to a 1.1. Disney’s Modern Family flattened at a 0.8 for the fourth straight week. Sony Pictures Television’s The Goldbergs grew  17% to a 0.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Young Sheldon and Two and a Half Men, which were both steady. Disney’s Family Guy gave back 14% to a 0.6, tying Sony’s Seinfeld, which was even Steven for the ninth straight week, and CBS’ newcomer The Neighborhood, which harbored a 0.6 for a seventh consecutive week. Finally, Disney’s Black-ish backed down 20% to a 0.4, tying Disney’s American Housewife and Warner Bros.’ Mom, both of which stayed put for a third straight week.

Jennifer Hudson, Warner Bros. Discovery’s rookie daytime talker, has been renewed for a second season by the Fox Television Stations and by Hearst Television, which together cover more than 60% of the country. The announcement came from Mike Darnell, president, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television; David Decker, president of content sales, Warner Bros. Discovery; and Frank Cicha, executive VP of programming, Fox Television Stations.

“Jennifer is an incredible talent and can literally accomplish anything she sets her sights on,” said Darnell in a statement. “This show is second to none because of her and all of the talented producers and crew who work daily to make every single episode special. A season two pick-up this early on proves that this show is here to stay.”

Jennifer Hudson is the first rookie syndicated show this season to score a renewal, although all of this year's new shows are expected to return for second seasons.

Jennifer Hudson is averaging a 0.6 live plus same day national household rating season to date, according to Nielsen Media Research, and is reaching 5.2 million people weekly, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.

“Working on this show alongside my incredible team and our amazing partners has been one of the greatest joys of my career. We have been on this journey together from day one and I am so thrilled to take it to the next level,” said Hudson in a statement. “I could not be more grateful to audiences across America for letting me into their homes every day as we empower and inspire one another. I can’t wait to show you what we have up our sleeves in season two!”

Jennifer Hudson is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures and distributed in national syndication by Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, The show is executive produced by Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, Corey Palent, Hudson, Lisa Kasteler Calio, Graehme Morphy and Walter Williams III, with Shani Black as co-executive producer. ▪️

Jennifer Hudson climbed 17% to a 0.7 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen, to tie both its high thus far and Debmar-Mercury’s fellow rookie talker Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd. Sherri edged out Warner Bros.’ Jennifer Hudson in the key women 25-54 demographic, however, with a 0.4 to JHud’s 0.3.

NBCUniversal’s Karamo, starring Karamo Brown, the season’s third new talker, preserved its 0.3 for a seventh consecutive week in the week ending November 6, which included the last week of daylight saving time. CBS Media Ventures’ new game Pictionary, starring Jerry O’Connell, pulled ahead 25% to a four-week high 0.5.

Otherwise, most syndicated shows were steady, despite preemptions on Fox stations on four of the five weekdays for three World Series games and one rain delay, which turned out to be a washout. 

The only veteran talk show able to improve was Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which rallied 7% to a 1.6, matching its season high and topping the talkers for the 24th straight week, including eight ties with CBS’s Dr. Phil. Live scored its season-best one-day rating thus far with its annual Halloween special, ringing up a 20% increase from the prior week to a 1.8 single-day household rating on October 31. 

Among women 25-54, Live led with a 0.6, followed by Dr. Phil at a 0.5 and NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson at a 0.4, which was up 33%.

Back in households, Dr. Phil dipped 7% to a 1.3, although it climbed 25% in the demo. In third place in households, Kelly Clarkson held at a 0.9.

CBS’s Drew Barrymore, Disney’s Tamron Hall, CBS’s Rachael Ray, reruns of NBCU’s out-of-production Maury, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos and encore episodes from NBCU’s Jerry Springer talk-and-court combo were all in line with the prior week’s 0.8, 0.7, 0.7, 0.5, 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.

All of the top-three game shows held steady with CBS’ Jeopardy at the top of the syndie and game chart for an eighth straight week, even though the show dipped 2% to a 5.3. Jeopardy began its annual Tournament of Champions during the week, featuring such favorites as Matt Amodio, Amy Schneider, Mattea Roach, Sam Buttrey and Andrew He, hosted by Ken Jennings. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune also faded 2% to a 4.8 to tie Debmar-Mercury’s flat Family Feud for second place.

Fox’s 25 Words or Less and sister show You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno each elevated 14% to a 0.8. Leno was recently injured when one of his cars caught fire in his garage, giving him third-degree burns and sending him to the hospital. 

Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask aggregated a 0.3 for a fifth consecutive week. 

CBS’s sister magazines Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight led the genre, maintaining a 2.1 and a 2.0, respectively. NBCU’s Access Hollywood hovered at a 0.7 for a fifth straight week. Warner Bros.’ Extra shrugged off baseball preemptions to hold steady at a 0.6 and tie with Fox’s TMZ for only the second time in a year, since the week ended October 31, 2021. TMZ, also heavily preempted, skidded 14% to a 0.6. Fox’s Dish Nation waltzed to a new season-high 0.3, an increase of 50% (or 0.1 ratings point) after dancing to a 0.2 for 30 consecutive weeks.

Encores of CBS’s Judge Judy elicited a second-straight 4.3 and cruised to the top of the court shows. 

CBS’s Hot Bench, the leading court show in original production, fell back 8% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis and Fox’s Divorce Court all settled at a 0.8, 0.6 and 0.5, respectively. Wrigley Media’s Relative Justice slipped 25% to a 0.3. 

Trifecta’s rookie true-crime strip iCrime With Elizabeth Vargas and Entertainment Studios’ freshman court We the People With Judge Lauren Lake remained level at a 0.5 and 0.3, respectively, in their eighth weeks on the air. 

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory declined 11% to a new series-low 1.6, although it remained the genre leader. Disney’s Last Man Standing slumped 9% to a 1.0. Disney’s Modern Family fell 13% to a 0.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Young Sheldon and Disney’s Family Guy, all of which held their ground. Sony’s The Goldbergs remained at a 0.6 for a fourth week. Sony’s Seinfeld sagged 17% to a 0.5, tying CBS’s rookie The Neighborhood, which notched a 0.5 for the eighth straight week. Disney’s American Housewife rebounded 33% to a 0.4, tying Disney’s Black-ish, which held steady for the 13th straight week. ■

Jeopardy! elbowed aside Family Feud for syndication’s superiority in the session ending October 9. With Ken Jennings behind the podium, CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy! picked up 4% to a 5.2 live plus same day national Nielsen rating to edge Debmar-Mercury’s Steve Harvey-hosted Family Feud, which faltered 4% to a 4.8. The two shows had been tied at the top the week before. 

CBS’s Wheel of Fortune also turned in a 4.8, adding 2% and tying Feud.

Fox First Run’s You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno lost 13% to a 0.7, tying Fox’s 25 Words or Less, which leveled off at a 0.7 for the 15th consecutive week.

CBS's new game-show player Pictionary, starring Jerry O'Connell, was syndication's only rookie recording household ratings growth from one week earlier, strengthening 25% to a 0.5 and matching its season high. After that, Entertainment Studios’ veteran Funny You Should Ask tumbled 25% to a 0.3.

In daytime, shows were at a disadvantage due to heavy October 7 preemptions for baseball’s Wild Card Series postseason game on ABC and women’s international soccer on Fox.

Disney’s top talk show Live with Kelly and Ryan slipped 6% to a 1.5 after hitting a five-month high in the previous frame. Live, which averaged more than 2.2 million daily viewers, has now led the talkers for 20 weeks in a row, including eight ties with CBS’s Dr. Phil.

Among women 25-54, Live led with a 0.6 followed by Dr. Phil, NBCUniversal's Kelly Clarkson, and Debmar-Mercury's Sherri all at a 0.4. Back in households, Dr. Phil took second, while easing 7% to a 1.3. Kelly Clarkson, the Emmy winner for both best entertainment talk show and entertainment host, preserved its 0.9 and captured third place.

CBS's Drew Barrymore, whose ratings have risen dramatically since being produced and distributed as two half-hour episodes this season, held steady at a 0.8 and surged 60% from the same week one year ago, which was the strongest year over year increase of any syndicated strip.

Also in the top tier, Disney's Tamron Hall, the Emmy winner for best info host, rolled right by CBS's Rachael Ray with which it had been tied, while securing a steady 0.7. Ray retreated 14% to a 0.6, tying NBCU's Steve Wilkos, which recovered 20% to a 0.6. Repeats of NBCU's Maury and its Jerry Springer combo mix of recycled Springer talk and court shows remained at a 0.4 and a 0.3, respectively.

The three rookie talkers Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, and Warner Bros.' Jennifer Hudson in their fourth weeks, and NBCU's Karamo, starring Karamo Brown, in week three, all shrugged off preemptions and remained on par with the prior week's 0.7, 0.6, and 0.3, respectively.

Also: Old Hands Bring New Stars to Syndication

On the magazine rack, CBS’s Inside Edition eroded 9% to a 2.1. CBS'’s Entertainment Tonight gave back 5% to a 2.0 after hitting a 20-week high in the prior frame. NBCU's Access Hollywood slumped 13% to a 0.7, tying Fox's TMZ, which was flat.

Warner Bros.’ Extra was penalized by preemptions for soccer and got hit with a 17% loss to a 0.5. Further back, Fox's Dish Nation brought up a 0.2 for the 27th straight week. 

CBS’s Judge Judy evergreens dipped 2% to a 4.1 but continued to lay down the law in the category, leading the court shows for the 1,359th straight week. CBS’s Hot Bench, Warner Bros.’ People's Court, Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis, and Fox's Divorce Court all settled for a consistent 1.2, 0.7, 0.6, and 0.5, respectively.

Wrigley Media’s sophomore Relative Justice rebounded 33% to a 0.4. Trifecta’s true crime newcomer iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas and Entertainment Studios’ rookie court show We the People with Judge Lauren Lake logged a 0.5 and 0.3, respectively, in their fourth weeks.

Among off-net sitcoms, Warner Bros.’ leader Big Bang Theory continued to orbit at a 1.9. Disney's second place Last Man Standing jumped 11% to a 1.0. Disney’s Modern Family forged ahead 14% to a 0.8. Disney’s Family Guy and Sony Pictures Televison’s The Goldbergs both grew 17% to a 0.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Warner Bros.’ Young Sheldon, which both stood pat at a 0.7. Sony’s Seinfeld saw serenity now staying at a 0.6 for a seventh straight week. CBS’s newcomer The Neighborhood notched its fourth consecutive 0.5. Finally, Disney’s rookie American Housewife and veteran Black-ish both broke even at a 0.4. ▪️

Sherri Shepherd was the leading talk rookie in week two of the new syndication season with a steady 0.7 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen.

Warner Bros.’ fellow rookie talker Jennifer Hudson fell back 14%, or one-tenth of a ratings point, to a 0.6 in the week ended Sept. 25. Jennifer Hudson took over the time periods of Debmar-Mercury’s canceled Nick Cannon on many Fox-owned stations and outperformed that show’s second week, which averaged a 0.4 last year, by 50%.

Similarly, Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri replaced Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams on many Fox stations in top markets. Last year at this time, Wendy Williams was averaging a 0.8 with repeats as the show’s season premiere was pushed off a month with the host out on medical leave. Williams never returned, resulting in the show’s cancellation and the launching of Sherri, after Shepherd saw success guest-hosting Wendy.

This season’s third rookie talker – NBCUniversal’s Karamo starring Karamo Brown of Netflix’s Queer Eye – made its debut on the national chart at a 0.3.

Also: Old Hands Bring New Stars to Syndication

Some syndies were penalized during the week by having to air against coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral on Sept. 19.

Among the talk veterans, Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan rose 7% to a 1.5 to remain the talk leader for the 18th week in a row, including eight ties with CBS Media Ventures’ Dr. Phil. Among syndication’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led at a 0.6 followed by Dr. Phil at a 0.4.

Dr. Phil grew 8% to a 1.4 to also take second place in households.

NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson and CBS’ Drew Barrymore, which were both up sharply in the prior week with their season premieres, each held steady at a 0.9 and 0.8, respectively. Drew Barrymore, which is now produced as a half-hour show that stations can run as a one-hour block or double-run in different time periods, is benefitting from having its ratings cumed across two airings.

Disney’s Tamron Hall was steady at a 0.7. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos was stable at a 0.6 for the 16th straight week, remaining tied with CBS’ Rachael Ray, which held steady for an eighth consecutive week. Reruns of NBCU’s Maury slumped 33% to a 0.4. NBCU’s Jerry Springer talk-court combo continued at a 0.3.

Also: Syndication Ratings: 'Jennifer Hudson,' 'Sherri' Hold Their Own in National Debut

CBS' Jeopardy! retook the game and syndication lead for the second straight week, inching up 2% to a 5.0  Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud stayed at a 4.8 to take second place in both categories. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune ticked up 2% to a 4.6. Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno lost 13% to a 0.7, tying Fox’s 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, which stayed put for a 13th consecutive week.

CBS’ new game show entry Pictionary, starring Jerry O’Connell, added 25% in its second week to a 0.5. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask attained a 0.3 for a third straight week.

CBS’ Inside Edition set the magazine pace, moving ahead 5% to a 2.2. CBS’ Entertainment Tonight, NBCU’s Access Hollywood and Fox’s TMZ all were in line with the prior week, which included the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, at a 2.0, 0.8 and 0.6, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Extra tallied a 20% increase to a 0.6, tying TMZ. Fox’s Dish Nation netted a 0.2 for the 25th straight week.

Evergreen episodes of CBS’ Judge Judy led the courts, despite dipping 2% to a 4.2. CBS’ Hot Bench and Warner Bros.’ People’s Court broke even at a 1.2 and a 0.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis skidded 17% to a 0.5. That tied Fox’s Divorce Court, now hosted by Star Jones, which was flat for a second week. Wrigley Media’s sophomore Relative Justice receded 25% to a 0.3.

Court rookies Trifecta’s iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas and Entertainment Studios’ We the People with Judge Lauren Lake leveled off at a 0.5 and 0.3 in their second weeks.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory and Disney’s Last Man Standing stayed at a 1.8 and 1.0, respectively. Disney’s Modern Family forfeited 13% to a 0.7 tying Disney’s Family Guy, which grew 17%, as well as Warner Bros.’ Young Sheldon and Two and a Half Men, both of which were flat. Sony Pictures Television’s The Goldbergs and Seinfeld were both stable at a 0.6. CBS’ newcomer The Neighborhood was on par with its 0.5 premiere in its second week. Finally, Warner Bros.’ Mom moved up 33% to a 0.4, tying Disney’s Black-ish, which held steady for the seventh straight week. ■

Jennifer Hudson and Sherri — syndication’s two major new talk entries — made their debuts on Monday, September 12, and tied at a 0.7 live-plus-same-day national household rating, according to Nielsen. Both shows air on Fox-owned stations in major markets.

Warner Bros.’s Jennifer Hudson took over time periods formerly occupied by Debmar-Mercury’s canceled Nick Cannon in many Fox-owned markets and outperformed that show’s 0.4 debut by 75%. Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri, hosted by Sherri Shepherd, debuted 13% below the show it replaced, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which opened last year at a 0.8. Last year at this time, the season premiere of Wendy Williams was continually delayed with the host out on medical leave. Williams never returned, leading to a year of guest hosts — including Shepherd — and then to Wendy Williams’s ultimate cancellation.

NBCUniversal’s Karamo, starring Karamo Brown and replacing NBCU’s long-running Maury on many stations across the country, debuted September 19 and tallied a 0.3 rating/1 share primary-run weighted metered market average. The show’s best performance came on WJW Cleveland at 1 p.m. at a 0.9 rating/5 share, an 80% improvement over the show it replaced, Warner Bros.’s concluded The Real.

Also: Old Hands Bring New Stars to Syndication

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan broke a three-week tie with CBS Media Ventures’ Dr. Phil to take top talk honors even though Live dipped 7% to a 1.4. Live has now led the category for 17 straight weeks, including eight ties with Dr. Phil, and 55 times in the past 70 weeks, including 19 ties with Dr. Phil.

Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live and Phil tied at a 0.5. Coming in at a 0.3 in the demo were JHud and Sherri as well as Disney’s Tamron Hall, NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson, CBS’ Drew Barrymore and CBS’ Rachael Ray.

Back in households, Dr. Phil, which had hit a seven-week high in the prior week, gave back 13% to a second-place 1.3. 

Kelly Clarkson and Drew Barrymore both kicked off their fourth seasons and saw talk’s biggest increases. Kelly Clarkson, which took over the time slots of Warner Bros.’ ended Ellen DeGeneres in many major markets, shot up 29% to a 14-week high 0.9. Drew Barrymore, which is now produced and distributed as two half-hour episodes that can be aired separately or as a full-hour block, doubled its previous rating, increasing 100% from the prior week and 60% from last year at this time to a new series-high 0.8. That’s because Nielsen is now taking the cumulative rating of at least two separate half-hour episodes in each market instead of taking the average of a single episode.

Disney’s Tamron Hall strengthened 17% to a 0.7. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos and CBS’ Rachael Ray each remained at a 0.6, tying recycled episodes of Maury, which were down 14%. NBCU’s Jerry Springer combo, which is composed of previously aired talk and court show episodes starring Springer, sank 25% in its second week to a 0.3.  

‘Jeopardy!’ Reclaims Games Crown

CBS’s Jeopardy! iumped back into the overall syndication and game lead with the premiere of its 39th season on Sept. 12 with a 23% spike to a 4.9. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud came close to making it seven straight wins but slipped 4% to a 4.8. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune, which is paired with Jeopardy! in many markets, moved up 10% to a 4.5. 

Fox First Run’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno improved 14% to a 0.8 while Fox’s 25 Words or Less logged a 0.7 for the 12th straight week. CBS’s game rookie Pictionary, hosted by Jerry O’Connell, premiered on Monday, September 12, and averaged a 0.4, just ahead of Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask, which stayed put at a 0.3 for a second week. 

CBS’ top magazines Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight were buoyed by the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 12 and both advanced 5% to a 2.1 and a 2.0, respectively. NBCU’s Access Hollywood added 14% to a 0.8. Fox’s TMZ fell 14% to a 0.6. Warner Bros.’s Extra, which was preempted by Thursday Night Baseball in Fox markets, slipped 17% to a 0.5. Fox’s Dish Nation notched a 0.2 for the 24th consecutive week. 

Evergreen episodes of CBS’s Judge Judy grew 2% to a 4.3 to lead the courts. CBS’s Hot Bench and Warner Bros.’s People’s Court and Judge Mathis all maintained a 1.2, 0.7 and 0.6, respectively. Fox’s Divorce Court, with new judge Star Jones, recovered 25% to a 0.5. Wrigley Media’s Relative Justice in its sophomore season swelled 33% to a 0.4. Entertainment Studios’ newcomer We the People with Judge Lauren Lake gaveled in with a 0.3 in its debut.

Also debuting in syndication was Trifecta’s new true-crime entry iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas, which broke in at a 0.5. 

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-network sitcoms even though it backed off 5% to a 1.8. Disney’s Last Man Standing stood pat at a 1.0. Disney’s Modern Family forged ahead 14% to a 0.8. Warner Bros.’s Two and a Half Men and Young Sheldon both stayed at a 0.7. Disney’s Family Guy faded 14% to a 0.6, tying Sony’s The Goldbergs and Seinfeld, each of which held steady. CBS’ newcomer The Neighborhood debuted at a 0.5. Disney’s Black-ish was steady at a 0.4 for the sixth straight week. ▪️

Jennifer Hudson and Sherri Shepherd both debuted their new talk shows on Sept. 12 and the two programs, both of which launched on Fox stations in top markets, are running neck and neck.

Warner Bros.’ Jennifer Hudson hit a 0.7 rating/3 share primary run weighted metered market average, according to Nielsen, improving over its year-ago time periods by 17%. JHud’s best top-10 market performance came on WCVB Boston at 3 p.m., where it won the time period with a 1.4/7 and turned in a 27% improvement over Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, the show it replaced in the time slot.

Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri, meanwhile, registered a 0.7/4 in its premiere week, on par with its September 2021 time periods, largely filled by Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams in top markets. Sherri’s strongest top-10 market showing came on WAGA Atlanta at 11 a.m., where its 1.8/10 beat last year’s Wendy Williams in the time period by 13%.

Fox First Run’s new game show Pictionary, starring Jerry O’Connell, premiered September 12 with a first-week 0.3/1 primary run weighted metered market average, up 50% from its July 2022 time periods. On WNYW New York at 1 p.m., the show averaged a 0.4/2 and outperformed the time slot’s most-recent occupant, Sony Pictures Television’s canceled The Good Dish, by 33%.

In the national household ratings, the traditionally quiet holiday session that began with Labor Day ended September 11 was a strong one for the top two talk shows.

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan and CBS Media Ventures’s Dr. Phil remained deadlocked in first place for a third straight week. Live rose 7% to a three-week high 1.5 live-plus-same-day national household rating, according to Nielsen. At the same time, Dr. Phil strengthened 7% to a seven-week high.

Live has now been first or tied for first in talk for 16 weeks in a row, including eight dead heats with Dr. Phil. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live and Phil were also tied at a 0.5.

Disney’s Tamron Hall spiked 17% to a third-place 0.7 with its fourth-season premiere, tying reruns of NBCUniversal’s Maury, which also added 17%, and repeats of NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson, which receded 14%. Kelly Clarkson premiered its fourth season — in upgraded time slots in many markets across the country — on Monday, Sept. 12, national ratings for which will come in next week. 

NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, CBS’ Rachael Ray, the final week of Wendy Williams, and CBS’ Drew Barrymore all held their ground at a 0.6, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.4, respectively.

NBCU’s Jerry Springer combo, which consists of Springer talk and court encores, opened at a 0.4, matching repeats of Drew Barrymore. The finale of Debmar-Mercury’s canceled Nick Cannon climbed 50% to a 0.3. ■

‘Feud’ Still Tops the Charts

Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud inched up 2% to lead the game shows and all of syndication for the sixth-straight week. CBS’s Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno and 25 Words or Less were all in line with the prior week’s 4.1, 4.0, 0.7 and 0.7, respectively. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask slumped 25% to a 0.3.

Fox’s TMZ and Warner Bros.’s Extra were the only magazines to improve. TMZ strengthened 17% to a 0.7, tying a steady Access Hollywood for third place. Warner Bros.’ Extra originated in London for part of the week, covering the death of Queen Elizabeth II and surged 20% to a 0.6. 

CBS’s magazine leaders Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight, CBS’s departing DailyMailTV and Fox’s Dish Nation all held steady at a 2.0, 1.9, 0.4 and 0.2, respectively. 

Evergreen episodes of CBS’s Judge Judy dipped 5% to a 4.2 to lead the courts and finish second in overall syndication. CBS’ Hot Bench gave back 8%  to a 1.2. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court was consistent at a 0.7 for a second straight week. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis motored ahead 20% to a 0.6, breaking a tie with Fox’s Divorce Court, which declined 20% to a 0.4. Wrigley Media’s Relative Justice remained at 0.3 for the seventh straight week. 

Warner Bros.’s The Big Bang Theory led the off-network sitcoms, expanding by 6% to a 1.9. Disney’s Last Man Standing, Family Guy and Modern Family; Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Young Sheldon; and Sony’s The Goldbergs and Seinfeld all stayed at a 1.0, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7, 0.6 and 0.6, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Mom and Disney’s Black-ish all broke even at a 0.4 for the fifth consecutive week. ▪️

New daytime stars Jennifer Hudson and Sherri Shepherd both premiered their new talk shows on Monday, tying at a 0.8 rating/4 share weighted metered market average for their primary runs, according to Nielsen. Warner Bros.' Jennifer Hudson came in 33% ahead of last year’s average performance, while Debmar-Mercury's Sherri equaled its year-ago time period average.

The two shows run back-to-back in seven of the top nine markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. In many Fox-owned markets, Jennifer Hudson took over the time slots of Debmar-Mercury’s concluded Nick Cannon, while Sherri stepped in for the Lionsgate-owned syndicator’s ended Wendy Williams. Shepherd was a frequent guest host for Williams as Williams sat out her show’s final year due to illness.

Most of syndication was flat to down in the session ending Sept. 4, thanks largely to early Labor Day weekend getaways and, to a lesser extent, college football preemptions on Fox.

NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson was the only talker of the 14 nationally rated veterans to improve week to week, finishing 14% higher at a five-week high of 0.8 live plus same day national household rating. Most shows, including Clarkson, had not yet begun their new seasons.

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan and CBS Media Ventures’ Dr. Phil remained tied at the top of the talkers for a second week at a 1.4. Live has now been first or tied for first with Dr. Phil for 15 straight weeks. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.6. 

Warner Bros.’ departing Ellen DeGeneres, which aired its final new episode in May, maintained a 0.7. Disney’s Tamron Hall, which rolled out its fourth season September 6 with a month of episodes featuring gifts and giveaways, held its ground at a 0.6.

NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, CBS’ Rachael Ray and repeats of NBCU’s Maury stayed at a 0.6 to tie Tamron. The exiting Wendy Williams, CBS’ renewed Drew Barrymore and encores of NBCU’s Jerry Springer all were all on par with the prior week’s 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3, respectively.

Three concluding talkers –  Nick Cannon, Warner Bros.’ The Real and CBS’ The Doctors -- tied at a 0.2, with Cannon down 33% and Warner Bros’ The Real and CBS’ The Doctors steady for the 13 and 78th straight weeks, respectively. 

Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud, which was dinged by football on Fox, fizzled 6% to a 4.9 but still captured the category and syndication lead for a fifth consecutive week. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune remained flat at its season-low 4.1 for the fourth straight week. CBS’ Jeopardy dipped 5% to a 4.0 to fall to third place behind Wheel.  

Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno lost 13% to a 0.7, tying Fox’s 25 Words or Less, which stayed put for the tenth straight week. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask attained a 0.4 for the ninth straight week. 

CBS’ magazine leader Inside Edition elicited a 2.0 for the third consecutive week, while sister show Entertainment Tonight spiked 6% to a 1.9. NBCU’s Access Hollywood regained its top three status with a 17% surge to a 0.7. Fox’s TMZ fell 14% to a 0.6. Warner Bros.’ Extra was one of the shows most heavily penalized by college football on Fox on September 1, getting hit with a 17% loss to a 0.5. CBS’ canceled DailyMailTV dropped 20% to a 0.4. Fox’s Dish Nation totaled a 0.2 for the 22nd straight week.

Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute managed to stay at a 0.5 for the sixth consecutive week.

Evergreen episodes of CBS’ Judge Judy forged ahead 5% to a 4.4, making Judy syndication’s second-highest-rated show overall, behind Family Feud.

CBS’ Hot Bench, syndication’s second highest court, climbed 8% to a five-week-high 1.3. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court was third, strengthening 17% to a 0.7. Fox’s Divorce Court, Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis, NBCU’s concluding Judge Jerry, and Wrigley Media’s Relative Justice were all steady at a 0.5, 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3, respectively.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory contracted 10% to a 1.8 but remained the off-network sitcom leader. Disney’s Last Man Standing slipped 9% to a 1.0. Sony’s The Goldbergs, Disney’s Family Guy and Modern Family, Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Young Sheldon and Sony’s Seinfeld all stalled at a 0.7, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7, 0.7 and a 0.6, respectively. Finally, Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Mom and Disney’s’ Black-ish all broke even at a 0.4 for the fourth straight week. ■

Jennifer Hudson has been picked up by Fox Television Stations and Hearst Television for a fall 2022 debut, with the Warner Bros.-produced daytime talker sold in more than 60% of the country so far. 

“As the syndication business continues to go through a major sea change, we need power players to reenergize talk shows and Jennifer Hudson is just that,” said Frank Cicha, executive vice president, programming, Fox Television Stations, in a statement.

The Jennifer Hudson Show joins Fox’s daytime lineup this fall along with Debmar-Mercury’s new talker, Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd. Sherri will take over Wendy Williams’ time slots on Fox stations.

“I have experienced so much in my life – I’ve seen the highest of the highs, the lowest of the lows, and just about everything in between but as my mother always told me, ‘Once you think you’ve seen it all, just keep on living,’” Hudson said in a statement. 

“People from around the world have been a part of my journey from the beginning – twenty years ago – and I’m so ready to join their journey as we sit down and talk about the things that inspire and move us all. I have always loved people and I cannot wait to connect on a deeper level and let audiences see the different sides of who I am, the human being, in return. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to do it alongside this incredible team. We’re about to have a lot of fun and shake things up a little bit!”

Like her soon-to-be fellow talk-show host, Kelly Clarkson, Hudson first came to fame as a contestant on American Idol, ending her season-three run as a finalist. She went on to win an Oscar for playing Effie in the movie Dreamgirls. She’s also won two Grammys and an Emmy and is a Tony away from an EGOT. She recently starred as Aretha Franklin in the film Respect, a role for which she was hand-picked by Franklin. 

“I knew that Jennifer was a force to be reckoned with from the moment I met her nearly 20 years ago,” said Mike Darnell, president, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, also in a statement. “From her Grammy-winning career in music, to her Oscar-winning acting career, Jennifer’s amazing talent, big heart and authenticity shine through in everything she does. I am thrilled to be working with her in this new role. She’s a natural, and I know audiences will embrace her in their homes every day.”

The Jennifer Hudson Show will be produced in Los Angeles by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures. It will be executive produced by some of the EPs behind Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, led by David Decker, executive vice president, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. ■

Jennifer Hudson is in the mix to be the star of a new daytime talker that Warner Bros. is pitching to TV stations to debut next fall, sources confirmed Friday. 

Hudson has shot a pilot for the show, executive produced by Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show EPs Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner, that Warner Bros. execs are now shopping. 

An ideal slot for the show is on NBC owned stations and affiliates in the afternoon, paired with NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson. Both Clarkson and Hudson gained fame after their runs on American Idol, with Clarkson winning the show’s first season and Hudson coming in third on season three and then going on to win the Oscar for best supporting actress in Dreamgirls in 2007. 

Kelly Clarkson, which is now in season three and has been renewed through 2023, airs ahead of Ellen on NBC owned stations and on many affiliates around the country. The NBC stations have said that they plan to move Clarkson into Ellen’s time slots next season after Ellen concludes its run. That gives Hudson an opportunity to take Clarkson’s slots, but there are many potential time slots available on TV stations for a new show.

The Jennifer Hudson project is the first one to rise to the surface for the 2022-23 TV season after the pandemic slowed development. This year, only two new shows debuted: Fox's You Bet Your Life, starring Jay Leno, and Debmar-Mercury's Nick Cannon. Both of those shows debuted on Fox owned stations in top markets. 

Hudson most recently starred as Aretha Franklin in movie Respect, and has appeared as a judge on both the US and UK versions of The Voice. 

Variety first reported this story.

OWN released a video sneak preview of its July 20 special OWN Spotlight: Oprah and Jennifer Hudson, featuring a Winfrey one-on-one interview with the singer/actress.

In the interview, Winfrey talks to Academy Award winner Hudson about her new Aretha Franklin biopic film, Respect, as well as being asked by the Queen of Soul to portray her in the movie, according to OWN. 

The special will be available on the WatchOWN app, as well as on Discovery Plus starting July 21. OWN Spotlight: Oprah and Jennifer Hudson is executive produced by Winfrey and Tara Montgomery.

Apple TV Plus will look to ring in the holidays this Friday (Dec. 4)  with a new special featuring legendary recording artist Mariah Carey.

The special, Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special, will features Carey as she embarks to help Santa solve a world face with a holiday cheer crisis, according to the streaming service. 

The special will feature musical and dance performances along with animation, said Apple TV Plus. The special will also feature appearances from from Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Misty Copeland and Mykal-Michelle Harris, along with a special appearance by Carey’s nine-year-old twins, son Moroccan and daughter Monroe.

TV One will roll out a new episode of its HelloBeautiful Interludes Live music concert/docu series later this month spotlighting  R&B/jazz recording artist Ledisi.

The one-hour show, filmed at Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts, will premiere, Nov. 29, said network officials. HelloBeautiful Interludes Live: Ledisi will feature the performers past hits such as Bravo and Pieces Of Me, as well as new material from her latest studio effort, said network officials.

After the show, the full performance and supplementary online-only footage will be available on Interactive One’s HelloBeautiful.com website, said TV One.

Past HelloBeautiful Interludes Live performers include Toni Braxton and Babyface, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson and Kem.