Oprah: ‘No Regrets’ On Leaving ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’
First Published: November 23, 2009 11:29 AM EST Credit: HARPO Productions
Caption Oprah Winfrey announces during a live broadcast of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ in Chicago that her daytime television show, the foundation of a multibillion-dollar media empire with legions of fans, will end its run in 2011 after 25 seasons on the airLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Oprah Winfrey is speaking out for the first time since announcing on Friday that she will end “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2011.
“I have no regrets,” Oprah told best friend Gayle King on her Sirius XM radio show on Monday. “There was only one time I teared up about it…talking to the viewers. It’s the viewers that choked me up about it.”
The talk show host revealed that her third phone call after telling her employees was to a fellow daytime host.
“When I told all my Harpo team, I was perfectly fine,” the talk show maven said. “[Disney President/CEO] Bob Iger was the first call, then [CBS President/CEO] Les Moonves, then Ellen [DeGeneres.] That is the only time my voice cracked. I’m not tortured, I just had to tell my employees.”
Oprah reiterated how deep she felt the desire to end her show – along with how it felt good numerically.
“In my bones,” she told Gayle about the desire to leave. “I love numbers… 2010, even number, or do I go to 25 years? How can I do it past 2011? I can’t.”
Oprah explained producing her show is a lot more tricky today compared to 25 years ago.
“It’s 100 percent harder to do the show now then when I first started,” she told Gayle.
As for details on Oprah’s new show and network – the talk show queen still doesn’t know the specifics.
“What is next?” Oprah said of the tasks ahead when asked about the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). “And what is that show is going to look like?”
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