Falling Nielsen ratings, rising costs, and perhaps a side of cast upheaval, seem to have taken a lethal bite out of an established daytime delicacy. ABC has cancelled The Chew TV show after seven seasons. Instead of season eight, the Alphabet Network has ordered an additional hour of Good Morning America — in the afternoon. Reportedly, the GMA expansion will not affect Live with Kelly & Ryan, which airs at 10:00am ET.
A cooking and lifestyle TV show, The Chew premiered on ABC on September 26, 2011, with original hosts Mario Batali, Daphne Oz, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, and Clinton Kelly. When the production did not replace Oz, who left after the sixth season, fans started listening for the kitchen timer of doom.
Then, during the first half of The Chew season seven, sexual impropriety allegations involving Batali (not show-related) came to light. After a brief investigation, the formerly celebrated chef and restaurateur was officially terminated from The Chew, in December of 2017. Once again, cancellation talk bubbled up — like yeast during proofing.
Symon, Hall, and Kelly have done their level best to fill the gaps at the host table, so perhaps this show has just reached its expiration date. According to reports, The Chew will finish out its regular seventh season production schedule. As with past seasons, new episodes will air throughout the month of June, with repackaged segments taking over until September.
No Season Eight — The Chew to be Replaced by Good Morning America
ABC News’ Good Morning America, will expand to three hours. The new third hour will air at 1 PM. EDT, noon CDT/PDT. The extra hour will replace ABC’s daytime food-themed program The Chew which, after seven seasons, 1454 episodes, multiple Emmy nominations and two Emmy Awards, will cease production at the end of this season but will continue to air as planned until September with all-new episodes airing in June.
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“Over the past six years Good Morning America has solidified its place as America’s No. 1 morning show,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney|ABC Television. “We believe there is great opportunity for viewers and advertisers in expanding to a third hour.”
“While this is the right decision for our business, it is also bittersweet,” Sherwood added. “For seven years ‘The Chew’ has delighted audiences by delivering innovative food segments in an entertaining atmosphere. We applaud and thank Gordon Elliott, Aimee Householder, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and the entire cast and crew for their great work and amazing run. And we wish them the very best.”
In telling his staff, executive producer and “The Chew” show creator Elliott saluted ABC’s move into a brand-new genre seven years ago. “Before ‘The Chew,’ no one had attempted a talk/food hybrid. Our hosts Clinton, Carla and Michael and the staff created television history executing the show as well as they did for all these years. I know I speak for all of the people who work on the show when I say it was the best television we have ever had the privilege to produce.”
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“Good Morning America keeps finding new ways to inform and delight our audience. We recently expanded GMA through our social channels and a newly launched website. Now we will build a whole new hour of compelling content that is true to GMA;s spirit,” said James Goldston, president of ABC News.
Additional details about the program, including the title and anchors, will be announced in the coming months.
What do you think? Are you a fan of The Chew TV series? Do you think the Batali scandal and firing were the final straw, or was it time to end the show, anyhow? If it were up to you, would ABC have cancelled or renewed The Chew for an eighth season? Sound off in the comments.
6/15/18 update: The final episode airs. Should The Chew have been cancelled? Vote here.
Big mistake ABC, will not watch GMA or anything else you put on in place of The Chew! Don’t need any actors/actresses, not interested in them. I watch The Chew because it is informative, interesting and lots of fun! Love Michael, Carla and Clinton, they are perfect hosts for the show.
Elaine: I will miss the chew. This was my one hour each day I could relax, be entertained with fun, high energy and bright people, with recipes they share. I will search other networks to fill that one hour each day for my interests. Sorry to see The Chew go. No more news for me.
You are making a HUGE mistake. The Chew is the best. I DVR it every day and my husband and I watch it every night. Don’t give a hoot about GMA…at all. The Chew is entertaining, food educational and the cast are just so great together. Canceling is a real mistake. I hope ABC feels the repercussions of their actions. So upset that they could make this decision. Is it political???
THE CHEW should be renewed. I don’t want and will not watch another hour of GMA while I eat lunch. If you have trouble getting actors & actresses, I don’t need them. Their appearance is more for them than for me. I like ‘The Chew’ because it doesn’t have an undercurrent of politics. BRING BACK THE CHEW. I, too, will watch any network that that does.
The Chew is one of my favorites. It’s entertaing and informative. I think you’re making a big mistake cancelling this show. I don’t care for another hour of news from any network. Good luck to everyone and may you find another home on another network.
I will truly miss the chew
I am sorely disappointed that ABC has decided to cancel the chew. I always watch GMA, however it is becoming filled with fluff pieces and little news. I hope the extended hour will not be discussions on what clothes what star is wearing this season. The chew always was a fun informative hour. It will be sad not to be able to turn it on learn new ways to make great food and laugh along with Michael, Carla, and Clinton.
I love and will miss this show. Carla, Clinton and Michael can certainly carry the show into the future. I often wonder who compiles the ratings b/c the show hasn’t been better than this season.
I really enjoyed the show, only with the three hosts, but after my daughter and I became vegetarians, the cooking wasn’t as interesting. Still, sorry to see it go. I’d love to see Kelly and Ryan go, really lame!
I swore I wasn’t going to watch The Chew because they took over One Life to Live spot, but I couldn’t help but give it a peek and then was hooked. I agree we don’t need another hour of news repeated. I love GMA but enough is enough. Maybe another network will give The Chew a new home and I will follow.
I am very upset the show is going off of the air. As far as another hour of GMA we have enough talk shows, news station how many to we need or want. I have watched GMA for years but, more I do not like. Networks need to bring back shows that interest my age group ABC, NBC, etc. are terrible I have no interest in these channels anymore. I believe the latest with Mario did the show in. Michael, Clinton & Carla are the highlight of my afternoon & will be greatly missed in my TV room. Time to… Read more »
the chew was an extremely entertaining program, my wife and I enjoyed it daily. I defiantly will NOT be watching it’s replacement, the last thing in the world we need is more political biased programing. I am disappointed on ABC’s, “LET’S SAVE A BUCK” decision making process.(yes we can see right through your lies. “FIGURES DON’T LIE–BUT LIERS FIGURE”
this is really terrible this show was one that got me through terrible times It not because of Mario. We are going through with the sexual allegations with everyone It has gone way way out of line the rest of the cast went on and they did a beautiful job. who wants three hours of news. I will tell I will not be on your network People can only handle so much I get enough news from 5:00 and on. I’ m sure you will find no one wants that much news. It’s all reported every half hour. I will… Read more »
Yes I have been a fan from the start all the host are wonderful and are so up beat and I love Clinton he keeps things going so wonderfully, The great holiday shows they have put on have been so entertaining and I will really miss all them. It’s going to be hard to find another wonderful show to watch for that hour.
Good Morning America is my favorite morning show BUT I don’t need another hour, especially in the afternoon. The Chew is such a friendly, warm show. I love watching the hosts interact even if I’m not into what they are making (that doesn’t happen often). It’s a very joyful, drama free hour that offers an escape from the problems of the world. SHAME on ABC for cancelling this fun fest.
I watch The Chew every day —- great helpful cooking hints, great humor, great recipes, think they all do so well together. Batali was not everyone’s problem — they did fine on their own. We have enough of the “news” on and it is refreshing to see something joyful and helpful. I wish all the cast luck and think it was a big mistake to take it off the air!!!!!!!!!!!!