CELEBRITIES
The ‘Rachael Ray’ show comes to an end after 17 seasons
The daytime talk show, ‘Rachael Ray’ is coming to an end, as Rachael Ray says she is ready to move onto other things.
The celebrity chef and daytime talk show darling, Rachael Ray, is ending her show’s 17-season run. The show is currently in its 17th season and will stop production once the full season has wrapped.
The Food Network star has hosted the popular show for 17 years, interviewing celebrities and cooking adventurous dishes.
The end of the ‘Rachel Ray’ show
Rachael Ray made a statement on Friday that she is grateful for her time on ‘Rachael Ray’, but after the long stint of the daytime cooking and talk show, the 54-year-old is ready to focus on other passions.
“In my more than 20 plus years in television, I have had 17 wonderful seasons working in daytime television with Rachael,” Ray said. “However, I’ve made the decision that it’s time for me to move on to the next exciting chapter in my broadcast career.”
“My passions have evolved from the talk show format production and syndication model to a platform unencumbered by the traditional rules of distribution,” the ‘Rachael Ray’ host continued.
Ray, after thanking the show’s partners, crew, and affiliates for the “wonderful years we all worked together”, explained the specifics of her intentions moving forward, such as focusing on her production company, Free Food Studios.
“I am truly excited to be able to introduce and develop new and upcoming epicurean talent on all platforms,” Ray said. “That is why I am looking forward to putting all my energies into my recently announced production arm, Free Food Studios.”
Meanwhile, Rachel Ray posted to her Twitter account to reassure her audience season 17 will still be rolling out in full.
“We still have more new shows this year and more smiles yet to come,” Ray wrote.
The ‘Rachel Ray’ legacy
The ‘Rachel Ray’ show has been on air since 2006. Ray, whose background is in the culinary arts, paved the way for cooking shows to offer great cooking while discussing hot topics.
The talk show host integrated good food with good conversations, and had a constant carousel of favorite celebrity guests appearing on the show to cook, hang out, and have a good old heart-to-heart with Rachel Ray.
The show also features musical performances, pop culture news, service-based demonstrations, and contests and games.
The president of CBS Media Ventures, Steve LoCascio, responded on Friday to the news of the ‘Rachel Ray’ legacy coming to an end.
“When Rachael debuted her show 17 years ago, she was a game-changer in the daytime space,” LoCascio said. “She made cooking accessible to the masses, taught viewers simple solutions on how to improve their lives and coaxed great stories out of celebrity guests with her relatable down-to-earth demeanor.”