After premiering season two on Monday, Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, has to return to repeats when Shepherd tested positive for COVID-19. 

“I am absolutely heartbroken that I cannot return to host my show this week,” Shepherd posted on Instagram Wednesday. “As soon as I get the all-clear from my doctor, I look forward to coming back strong to deliver the fun, laughter and a real good time.”

Sherri will air encore episodes at least through this week.

Sherri returned to the air in a challenging daytime environment in which other shows — CBS Media Ventures’ Drew Barrymore, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Jennifer Hudson and CBS’s The Talk — all ended up delaying their season premieres amid the writers’ and actors’ strikes. All of those shows employ some WGA-affiliated writers, while Sherri does not. The studios are meeting with Writers Guild of America representatives on Wednesday.

Talk-show hosts are covered under SAG-AFTRA’s “network code,” which allows them to work during strikes, but if those shows employ guild members, the guild considers them to be struck if they are in production during labor stoppages. 

Drew Barrymore had also planned to premiere on Monday, but ended up postponing the show’s start after fans and fellow actors reactively negatively to an apology video the host posted on Instagram on Friday, September 15. She took down that video soon after and announced on Sunday, September 17 that the show would be delayed. Jennifer Hudson and The Talk, which had been picketed by the WGA while it was in rehearsals, both followed suit. 

Other daytime talkers have premiered, including Disney’s Live with Kelly and Mark and Tamron Hall and NBCUniversal’s Karamo. ABC’s The View also has remained in production, with its two WGA writers staying out of work, but pickets on that show have increased after last week’s controversy. When NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson will return for its season-five premiere remains unknown as that show undergoes a move to New York from Los Angeles.  

Sherri has promoted Fernita Wynn to executive producer and showrunner of Debmar-Mercury’s rookie daytime talker ahead of season two, the company said Wednesday. In addition, Joelle Dawson-Calia has been moved up to EP of Sherri while Siobhan Schanda and Dan Fitzpatrick are now co-EPs. 

All four will work along show host and EP Sherri Shepherd and her producing partner and EP, Jawn Murray, as the show heads into season two starting September 18. The first season of Sherri wraps on Friday.

Wynn and Dawson-Calia previously served as co-executive producers, while Schanda and Fitzpatrick were senior supervising producer and supervising producer, respectively. 

Sherri has been renewed for two more seasons by its launch group, the Fox Television Stations, through the 2024-25 season. It’s sold in 98% of the country for next season on Sinclair, Nexstar Media Group, Cox Media Group and more station groups. Sherri, which was conceived when Shepherd became a fan favorite as a guest host of Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, is produced at New York’s Chelsea Studios in front of a live studio audience.                    

“I’m thrilled to have Fernita Wynn promoted to executive producer and showrunner and lead the production team at Sherri for season two,“ Shepherd said in a statement. “I’m also happy to announce the elevation of Joelle Dawson, Siobhan Schanda and Dan Fitzpatrick, who will work alongside Jawn Murray and me as we continue to bring our ‘good time’ to daytime. I’m grateful for this rock star TV team that helped make the first season of Sherri a success and the No. 1 new talk show in daytime. Expect the unexpected as we embark on our second season!”

In the week ended May 29, Sherri averaged a 0.7 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen, and a 0.3 in syndication’s key demographic of women 25-54.

Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, has been renewed through the 2024-25 TV season on its launch group, the Fox Television Stations, as well as on the Cox Media, Sinclair and Nexstar station groups. Sherri is produced by Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, which produced the rookie daytime talker’s predecessor, Wendy Williams.

“I am so thrilled that Sherri has been renewed for two more years,” said Shepherd in a statement. “I launched this show with the mission to give daytime viewers a 'good time,' just like my theme song says. I am so appreciative that Fox and Debmar-Mercury have partnered with me to continue bringing more laughter, joy and inspiration to my audience."

Shepherd guest-hosted Wendy Williams during the 2021-22 TV season when Williams had to sit out due to health problems, and ultimately could not return. Shepherd was an immediate hit with viewers, causing Debmar-Mercury and Fox to both express early interest in developing a talk show with her.

Sherri premiered this fall, occupying Wendy Williams's former time slots across many Fox-owned stations in top markets. 

“In success, the hour leading out of AM news can act as a springboard for a station’s entire daytime, and it’s not easy to find the right fit. Sherri’s mix of professionalism and competitive strength has been a great fit for us, so we’re happy to be bringing her program back," said Frank Cicha, executive VP, programming, Fox Television Stations, also in a statement.

Sherri was initially sold to TV stations in a one-year deal, but in a crowded environment in which stability is the only way viewers can find a show and make it a habit to watch, it makes sense to renew for longer terms when possible. 

“We initially sold Sherri for one year based on our strong belief that this extraordinarily talented host would be successful and her show would become a long-term talk franchise,” Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus said. “Our thanks go to our good friends and longtime partners at Fox, who shared in our enthusiasm and have renewed their faith in Sherri with this long-term commitment.”

Sherri, which has been averaging a 0.7 live-plus-same-day national household rating for most of this season, according to Nielsen, is cleared in 98% of the U.S. The show is shot before a live studio audience at New York’s Chelsea Studios.

Sherri joins Jennifer Hudson as the first two new syndicated shows this season to earn renewals. Fox is also expected to pick up CBS’s new game show, Pictionary, for another season. Still waiting for their pickup papers are NBCUniversal’s Karamo, starring Karamo Brown, and Trifecta’s iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas, the host of which just took a nightly gig at Nexstar’s NewsNation. Allen Media Group’s We the People with Judge Lauren Lake is highly likely to return because Allen rarely cancels its syndicated programs, extracting value out of its court shows by airing them in blocks, selling ads across those blocks and putting them on auxiliary platforms owned by Allen.

Because most, if not all, of this year’s rookie shows are expected to be renewed, new development is looking slim for next year. That said, Allen Media Group plans to launch its seventh court show, Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams; Debmar-Mercury is offering off-Game Show Network People Puzzler, hosted by Leah Remini; and PPI Releasing is shopping Michaela, a Canadian talk show starring former Good Day LA host Michaela Pereira. ■

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. ▪️

Rookie talkers Sherri, Jennifer Hudson and Karamo all held steady in the week ended October 2, which was also the first full week of fall. Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, Warner Bros.’ Jennifer Hudson and NBCUniversal’s Karamo, starring Karamo Brown, all stayed put at a 0.7, 0.6 and 0.3, respectively.

None of those shows were impacted too heavily by news coverage of Hurricane Ian, although the storm created heavy pre-emptions, especially in Florida and other southeastern coastal states. Among the most negatively impacted markets were Florida’s Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.

At the top of the talkers, Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan rose to its highest ratings since May, leading the genre for the 19th straight week, including eight ties with CBS Media Ventures’ Dr. Phil. Now in its 35th year, the morning franchise was up 7% to a first-place 1.6 live-plus-same-day national household rating, according to Nielsen. Live’s highest rating of the week came on Monday, September 26, which featured an interview with Kim Kardashian. That episode grew 20% from the prior week’s average to a 1.8, Live’s highest single-day number since its after-Oscar show in March. 

Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.6 followed by Dr. Phil at a 0.5.

Back in households, Phil, NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson and CBS’s Drew Barrymore, which is now a half-hour that often runs as two episodes in many markets, all maintained a 1.4, 0.9 and 0.8, respectively. 

CBS’s Rachael Ray rose 17% to a 0.7, tying Disney’s Tamron Hall, which stayed put. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos slipped 17% to a 0.5, while NBCU’s Maury reruns and its Jerry Springer talk-and-court combo remained at a 0.4 and a 0.3, respectively. 

At the top of the overall chart, Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud improved 4% to a 5.0 and finished in a tie with CBS’ Jeopardy!, which was flat. Jeopardy! had eked out narrow wins in the prior two weeks after trailing Feud for seven straight sessions. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune inched up 2% to a 4.7. 

Fox First Run’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno recovered 14% to a 0.8. Fox’s 25 Words or Less locked on a 0.7 for a 14th straight week. CBS’ new game-show entry Pictionary, hosted by Jerry O’Connell, backtracked 20% to a 0.4, which remained on par with its premiere week. That tied Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask, which added 33%.

CBS’s Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight each added 5% to a 2.3 and a 2.1, respectively, to lead the magazines, with ET hitting its highest rating in 20 weeks. NBCU’s Access Hollywood stood pat at a 0.8. Fox’s TMZ grew 17% to a 0.7. Warner Bros.’ Extra preserved its 0.6. Fox’s Dish Nation notched a 0.2 for the 26th week in a row.

Evergreen episodes of CBS’s Judge Judy led the court shows at a steady 4.2. CBS’s Hot Bench and Warner Bros.’ People’s Court both were consistent at a 1.2 and a 0.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis rebounded 20% to a 0.6. Fox’s Divorce Court settled for a third-straight 0.5, while Wrigley Media’s sophomore Relative Justice remained at a 0.3. 

Rookie courts Trifecta’s iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas and Entertainment Studios’ We the People with Judge Lauren Lake lingered at a 0.5 and a 0.3, respectively, in their third weeks.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory expanded 6% to a 1.9. Disney’s Last Man Standing skidded 10% to a new series-low 0.9. Disney’s Modern Family, Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Warner Bros.’ Young Sheldon all stayed at a 0.7. Disney’s Family Guy gave back 14% to a 0.6, tying Sony Pictures Television’s The Goldbergs and Sony’s Seinfeld, both of which were steady. CBS’ The Neighborhood welcomed a 0.5 for the third consecutive week. Finally, Disney’s rookie entry American Housewife hammered out a 33% increase to a 0.4 in its third week, tying Disney’s Black-ish, which stayed put for the eighth straight week. ▪️

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. ▪️

Sherri, Debmar-Mercury’s new talk strip starring Sherri Shepherd, will premiere in national syndication on Monday, Sept. 12, the Lionsgate-owned company said Tuesday. Sherri is cleared in more than 97% of the U.S. ahead of its debut.

Sherri, which replaces Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams in many time slots across the country, is sold to stations owned by Cox Media Group, Hearst Television, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Nexstar Media Group and others.  Fox is the show’s anchor group with stations in the top three markets: New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Shepherd, who served as a panelist on ABC’s The View, has been a popular guest host on Wendy Williams this season after Williams had to sit out due to health problems. It was ultimately determined that Williams would not be able to return and Wendy has concluded after 13 seasons. Repeats of Wendy will air all summer until Sherri debuts this fall. 

“Sept. 12 can't get here fast enough,“ Shepherd said in a statement. “Hosting my own talk show is a dream come true and I'm so excited to take viewers on this joyous journey. My new show will be something truly fun and fresh, a daily hour of entertainment escapism with plenty of laughter, fun and flirtiness as I give my take on pop culture. And I'm so glad to have such an awesome senior production team helping to make this magic a reality.” 

Sherri will be shot in front of a live studio audience at New York’s Chelsea Studios and be executive-produced by David Perler, who also executive-produced Wendy. Other executive producers include Shepherd and her producing partner Jawn Murray with Suzanne Bass, Joelle Dawson and Fernita Wynn joining as co-executive producers. 

“Sherri is a great fit for the daytime audience because she relates to people in such a natural way,“ Perler said. ”Having worn so many hats over the years between her career, motherhood, her fitness journey and other accomplishments, Sherri brings a mix of fun, laughter and valuable, authentic advice to viewers.” 

Warner Bros.’s Jennifer Hudson, which has Fox as its anchor group as well, is also debuting on Sept. 12. ■

Talk show host Wendy Williams’ long running syndicated show will soon come to an end, 14 years after its debut. 

Williams, who hasn’t hosted the The Wendy Williams Show this season due to ongoing health issues, will be replaced this fall in the time slot by Sherri Shepherd, who will host her own talk show Sherri, according to syndication company Debmar-Mercury. Shepard has been one of several rotating hosts for The Wendy Williams Show in Williams’ absence.  

Also: Sherri Shephard’s ‘Sherri’ To Replace ‘Wendy Williams’  

According to CNN, Williams – who launched The Wendy Williams show in 2008 – said in a statement that she “understands why this decision was made from a business point of view and she has been assured by Debmar-Mercury that should her health get to a point where she can host again and should her desire be that she hosts again that she would be back on TV at that time.”

In a 2014 interview with Multichannel News, Williams talked about her initial decision to move from radio to television and what The Wendy Williams Show represented to her from a personal and business perspective. 

Sherri Shepherd this fall will host Sherri, a new daytime talk show that will launch in Wendy Williams’ time slots on the Fox Television Stations and be produced and distributed by Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury. 

Shepherd has been one of a rotating panel of guest hosts on Wendy Williams this season, with that show’s host sidelined due to medical issues. Williams' publicist has stated that she will not be able to return to the show this season.

TV stations have allowed Debmar-Mercury to sub in guest hosts, and the show’s ratings haven’t fallen that dramatically in Williams’ absence, but at a point Debmar-Mercury needed to make a decision about what was going to happen with the show going forward. Shepherd has earned the highest ratings of any guest host, including Leah Remini, Whitney Cummings, Michael Rapaport and others, according to Debmar-Mercury.

Also: 'Wendy Williams' Slates Full Month of Guest Hosts for January

“Sherri is a natural who proved her hosting skills for many years as a panelist on The View, on Fox’s Dish Nation and again this season as a popular guest host of Wendy,” Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said in a statement. “Like our viewers, we have been impressed by the unique comedic twist Sherri puts on our daily live ‘Hot Topics’ segment, her creativity and interactions with our guests. Her love for the content and daytime fans is obvious, and we are excited to partner with her to create another long-term talk franchise.” 

“This is also a bitter-sweet moment for us and our partners at Fox,” Marcus and Bernstein continued. “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 dishing on ‘Hot Topics’ and interviewing celebrities. 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. We hope to be able to work with Wendy again in the future, and continue to wish her a speedy and full recovery.” 

Should Williams return to full health and want to come back, Debmar-Mercury would be interested in working with her again to relaunch the show. In the meantime, however, the company is going forward with Sherri. 

Fox, which has served as Wendy Williams’ most important station group since the show sprang to life in a 2008 summer test, also was happy with the choice of Shepherd to inherit Williams’ talk mantle. 

“First of all, thanks to Debmar-Mercury for navigating through an extremely trying situation and providing stations with first-run programming throughout. Secondly, Sherri is the perfect choice for this. Her appeal to our audience is clear, plus she’s already a member of the Fox Television Stations family as host of Dish Nation,” Frank Cicha, executive VP, programming, Fox Television Stations, said, also in a statement.

Shepherd, who also co-hosts Dish Nation on the Fox Television Stations, will executive produce Sherri alongside her producing partner – media personality and producer Jawn Murray – and David Perler, who will continue in the executive producer and showrunner role he has held for the past 12 of Wendy’s 13 seasons. 

“I am so excited to have my dream come true and debut my very own talk show Sherri in the fall. 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,” Shepherd said in a statement. 

Actress, comedian and best-selling author Shepherd served as a co-host of ABC’s The View for eight seasons from 2007-14. She currently can be seen in HBO Max’s Sex Lives of College Girls and recently starred in Lifetime movie Imperfect High. She also co-starred in Netflix’s comedy Mr. Iglesias, and was a recurring guest star on ABC’s Call Your Mother. She played the first African-American evil stepmother in Cinderella on Broadway in 2014 and also had a recurring role on NBC’s 30 Rock as Tracy Jordan’s wife, Angie. ■

Fox First Run is bringing back four of its original syndicated shows: rookie game show You Bet Your Life, starring Jay Leno and his Tonight Show band leader Kevin Eubanks; 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira; Dish Nation, starring Sherri Shepherd and radio teams from around the country; and Divorce Court, hosted by Judge Faith Jenkins. All four shows will continue to air on the Fox Television Stations through the 2022-23 TV season. 

“Fox First Run's main priority is to always focus on our audience first, by allowing them to appear, contribute, play and win. All of our programming both, present and ones in development, have two key elements--extensive interactivity and pure entertainment,” Stephen Brown, executive vice president of programming, Fox Television Stations, said in a statement. 

Also: 'Wendy Williams' Swaps in Michael Rapaport as Sherri Shepherd Undergoes Surgery

The Fox Television Stations will see some changes across its programming lineups in January, when Sony Pictures Television swaps out Dr. Oz for The Good Dish, as Dr. Mehmet Oz fully launches his run for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania and his 13-season daytime syndicated talker comes to an end. 

Also: 'The Good Dish' to Replace 'Dr. Oz' in January 

Fox also has picked up game show Pictionary, hosted by Jerry O'Connell, to premiere this fall. Pictionary aired as a test on select Fox stations last summer. The show will be distributed by CBS Media Ventures, which is also selling the national advertising time.

Also: 'Pictionary' Heads to Fox Stations in Fall 2022

You Bet Your Life, a reboot of a format made famous by Groucho Marx, debuted in September. It’s cleared in all top 100 markets and in Canada. David Hurwitz is showrunner and executive producer along with Tom Werner.

“Here’s what You Bet Your Life is all about: laughs plus money equals, who cares what it equals! It’s laughs plus money!” Leno said in a statement. 

25 Words or Less first debuted on select Fox stations as a preview show in August 2018 and then went into national syndication in fall 2019. Executive produced by Vieira along with Lisa Kudrow, Dan Bucatinsky, Mary McCormack, Michael Morris, showrunner Michael Canter and Bruce Sterten, 25 Words or Less is cleared in 98% of the U.S.

“I feel honored to host 25 Words or Less, especially now. To bring laughter and great game play into people’s homes every day is a gift. Thanks to our loyal fans and to those just discovering us, it’s on to season four,” Vieira said. 

Dish Nation has been airing on the Fox Television Stations since July 2011 and is now cleared nationally in 85% of the country. The Dish Nation deejay teams include Atlanta’s Headkrack, Gary with da Tea and Da Brat; Los Angeles’ Sherri Shepherd with Heidi Hamilton and Frank Kramer from KLOS’s “Heidi and Frank;” and iHeartRadio’s Chuey Martinez. 

Divorce Court is cleared in 94% of the country and is produced by Lincolnwood Productions. ◾

The Wendy Williams Show had to replace one scheduled guest host with another as Sherri Shepherd was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy on Sunday. Comedian and actor Michael Rapoport, who is starring in Hulu’s upcoming comedy Life & Beth, stepped in at the last minute.

The show announced the switch Monday morning when viewers tuned in, possibly expecting Shepherd, only to find Rapaport. Shepherd had been scheduled to guest host all week. Shepherd also is slated to guest host the last week of January.

Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams has been emceed by guest hosts all season long due to Williams’ extended medical absence due to complications from Grave’s disease, according to the show. Wendy Williams’ season-13 premiere was delayed by one month and finally returned on Oct. 18.

In the two months that the show has been back on the air in originals, Shepherd, Rapaport, Whitney Cummings, Leah Remini and Michelle Visage, Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos, Bill Bellamy, the hip-hop duo of Fat Joe and Remy Ma, and more have sat in for Williams. In January, Kym Whitley and Finesse Mitchell will take a stint with Rapaport and Shepherd returning.

Also: ‘Wendy Williams’ Slates Full Month of Guest Host for January

Wendy Williams is on holiday hiatus from Dec. 20 - Dec. 31, returning with live, original episodes guest-hosted by Fat Joe and Remy Ma on Monday, Jan. 3. In the Thanksgiving week ended Nov. 28, Wendy Williams averaged a 0.7 live plus same day national household rating, down 13% from the prior week.◾

Sherri Shepherd, host of Fox’s Dish Nation and former panelist on ABC’s The View, is returning to guest host Debmar-Mercury’s The Wendy Williams Show from Monday, Dec. 13 through Friday, Dec. 17, the Lionsgate-owned company said Tuesday. The following week the show will go on a planned holiday hiatus.

During Shepherd’s previous stint as guest host in the week ended Nov. 7, the show’s ratings climbed 13% to a 0.9 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, tying Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres and NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson for third place among daytime syndicated talk shows. 

“Sherri is a great fit for the show and she engages with our viewers with her relatable conversations and unique point of view on the hottest topics,” Executive Producer David Perler said in a statement.  “We’re very happy to welcome her back and can’t wait to see what she’ll bring to our viewers and station partners this time around!” 

“I had so much fun the first time around, I can’t wait to come back to play again,” Shepherd said, also in a statement. “I was thrilled to learn that my hosting week in November was so well received by the loyal viewers of this show. It’s not easy to do what Wendy has successfully done for so many years.  I am grateful to Wendy, the entire Wendy Williams team and Wendy’s fans for trusting me to host for another week. It’s been a dream come true, and I can’t wait to bring back my brand of flirty-fun, fabulous guests and feel-good excitement when I return in December.”

Also: Leah Remini, Michelle Visage to Co-Host ‘Wendy Williams’ for Two Weeks

Wendy Williams has been hosted by an array of guest hosts since the show returned for its season-13 premiere on Oct. 18 without the show’s host, who remains out on extended medical leave. These hosts have included Leah Remini and Michelle Visage, who return next week and co-host through Dec. 10, comedian Whitney Cummings, and this holiday week’s hosts, hip-hop duo of Fat Joe and Remy Ma. ■

Whitney Cummings and Sherri Shepherd will guest host Debmar-Mercury’s The Wendy Williams Show in the weeks of Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, respectively, the show said Tuesday. 

Williams is out on extended medical leave as she deals with complications of her Graves disease, the show said. She also tested positive with a breakthrough case of COVID-19 last month.

Also Read: ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ Will Return for Season 13 With Guest Hosts

Actress, comedian, podcaster and writer Cummings will sit on Williams’ couch the week of Oct. 25 - 29, while Shepherd, current host of Dish Nation and former host of The View, will host Nov. 1 - 5. 

“In my opinion, nobody is more entertaining or authentic than Wendy Williams. As an avid fan, it is surreal to sit in for Wendy, but as someone who has been a guest on the show so many times, I feel confident that my relentless habit of speaking candidly, often to the point of self-sabotage, may go over well with her fans,” said Cummings in a statement. 

“There are few places I’d feel as safe to be as unhinged and opinionated as on Wendy’s show and I am looking forward to burning many a bridge. Each episode I do will be in celebration of her fearlessness, and the lessons I’ve learned from her fearless feedback and advice.  I’d like to do whatever I can to make her life easier while she recovers so she can come back stronger and more powerful than ever.” 

"I'm so excited to return to the Wendy Williams Show to host for a full week!” said Shepherd in a statement. “I had such a great time when I hosted the show in 2019 and I'm flattered that Wendy and the producers put their trust in me to fill in again. I'm sending my love and well wishes out to her.” 

Wendy Williams was supposed to debut its new season on Monday, Sept. 20 but has kept pushing the premiere with Williams unable to return. It finally launched season 13 on Monday, Oct. 18, with a panel of guest hosts, including Devyn Simone, host of MTV’s The Challenge: Aftermath, author/actor/media personality Bevy Smith, Variety senior correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister and comedian and actor Michael Yo. Smith and Wagmeister previously hosted Fox’s syndicated Page Six talk show together.

Remini then took over hosting duties Tuesday through Friday.

No date has yet been set for Williams’ return.

The Fox Television Stations have given two-year renewals for three of its syndicated shows -- 25 Words or Less, Divorce Court and Dish Nation, said Stephen Brown, executive VP of programming, Fox Television Stations. The renewals take all three shows through the 2022-23 TV season.

“We at Fox First Run are so pleased to produce reliably strong, feel good programming for [the Fox Television Stations] and syndication,” said Brown in a statement. “With shows helmed by Meredith Vieira, Judge Faith Jenkins, Sherri Shepherd and the amazing cast of ‘Dish Nation,’ plus the upcoming ‘You Bet Your Life’ with Jay Leno, we anticipate nothing but growth ahead." 

Game show 25 Words or Less, hosted and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, debuted on the Fox TV Stations as a test in August 2018 before heading into national syndication the following year. 

The half-hour strip is cleared nationally in 98% of the country and is a collaboration of executive producers Lisa Kudrow, Dan Bucatinsky, Mary McCormack, Michael Morris, showrunner Michael Canter and Bruce Sterten, creator of the 25 Words or Less and Taboo board games. 25 Words or Less is produced by Dino Bones Productions and distributed by Fox First Run.  

Judge Faith Jenkins joined long-running half-hour court strip Divorce Court last March, taking over from Judge Lynn Toler, who had served as the program’s judge since 2006. Jenkins just premiered as the judge this season.  

Divorce Court is cleared in 94% of the country and is produced by Lincolnwood Productions and distributed by Fox First Run. 

The comedy/entertainment news program Dish Nation, which follows radio deejay teams in different markets and then edits their daily programs into a half-hour strip, debuted on the Fox Television Stations in July 2011 and is now cleared nationally in 85% of the country. 

The current Dish Nation teams include Atlanta’s Headkrack, Gary with da Tea, Da Brat and Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams; Los Angeles’ Sherri Shepherd with Heidi Hamilton and Frank Kramer from KLOS’ Heidi and Frank, and iHeartRadio’s Chuey Martinez. Each year, 260 episodes of the program are distributed by Fox First Run.

Former Time Warner chairman and CEO Richard Parsons is one of several journalists and executives being honored at the Nov. 11 Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA)’s virtual Multicultural Media Correspondents Dinner.

The 5th annual dinner, which honors media industry legends and luminaries of color, will also honor journalist Lisa Ling, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Jacky Rosen, NPR host Maria Hinojosa, journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and Revolt TV’s Detavio Samuels, said the media diversity organization. 

Comedians Kym Whitley and Sherri Shepherd will host the event. 

“We are beyond thrilled with the level of engagement and support the MMCD has received in just its fifth year,” said David Morgan, MMCA president said in a statement.

Sherri Shepherd is joining Fox’s Dish Nation as co-host starting in August, said Stephen Brown, executive VP of programming and development, Fox Television Stations, Tuesday.

Shepherd served as guest host for the program, which follows a rotating roster of radio deejay teams in different markets as they chat about the entertainment and pop culture news of the day, last November and December. Dish Nation’s radio teams currently include Atlanta’s Headkrack, Gary with da Tea, Da Brat and The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams, as well as Los Angeles’ Heidi Hamilton and Frank Kramer from KLOS’s Heidi, Frosty, and Frank, and iHeartRadio’s Chuey Martinez.

“What sets Dish Nation apart from other entertainment news is its humor, and Sherri Shepherd is one of the funniest ladies in the business,” said Brown in a statement. “Sherri’s experience from years of comedy and daytime television have groomed her to fit right in with the playful banter between our co-hosts.”

Shepherd is currently co-starring in Netflix’s Mr. Iglesias, with season two expected out this summer. She co-hosted ABC’s The View from 2007-15 and has appeared on such primetime series as Trial and Error, Rosewood, Man With a Plan, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother and more. She also works as a stand-up comedian with several specials to her credit, and she’s written best-selling books, including Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It), and Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide to Giving Herself a Break.

Cooking Channel adds another celebrity to its original series portfolio with the August launch of Holy & Hungry starring TV personality Sherri Shepherd.

The series, which premieres Aug. 23, will follow former The View co-host Shepherd as she travels the country to visit food establishments that share her passion for food and faith, according to network officials.

"Holy & Hungry celebrates something that people of all religions enjoy - delicious food," said Michael Smith, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Cooking Channel. "The unique lens of faith to explore food is unlike any other series on Cooking Channel, and Sherri Shepherd's appreciation and ability to relate to the faithful people spreading their love for their faith through their food, makes her the perfect host."

Shepherd follows other celebrities such as Tia Mowry, Chrissy Tiegen, Anthony Anderson and Rev. Run and other celebrities who have had cooking shows on the channel.