Daytime Talker ‘Maury’ To Conclude

Veteran daytime talk show Maury, hosted by Maury Povich and produced by NBCUniversal, is the latest series to end in first-run syndication.

“Maury and I decided two years ago that this season would be the farewell season for the show, and while his retirement is bittersweet, we are so happy for him to be able to spend more time on the golf course,” said Tracie Wilson, EVP, NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, in a statement. “Maury is a television icon, a pop culture legend and we couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of his incredible career.”

“Six years ago when I was ready to retire, my NBCUniversal family asked me to continue the show,” said Maury Povich. “Even though I told them I was ready for assisted living, out of loyalty to NBCUniversal and my more than 100 staff and crew members, Tracie Wilson and I agreed to one more deal. I’m so proud of my relationship with NBCUniversal and all those who worked on the Maury show but as I occasionally tell my guests on Maury, ‘Enough, already!’”

Debuting as The Maury Povich Show from Paramount Domestic Television on September 9, 1991, the talker began as a more serious issue-themed daily hour that often featured two topics per show. Over the years it morphed into more salacious topics, including teen pregnancy, sexual infidelity and, most commonly, the results of paternity tests (where men who were denying or trying to establish paternity were given DNA tests with the results revealed on the air). In 1998, after being taken over by Studios USA (later renamed Universal and, eventually, NBCUniversal Television Distribution), the title was shortened to Maury.

At 31 years, Maury Povich holds the record for the longest run as a daytime talk show host (two years ahead of former leader Phil Donahue). Prior to his talk show, he hosted former syndicated daily newsmagazine A Current Affair from 1986 to 1990. At the height of ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Povich hosted a short-lived primetime revival of classic game show Twenty One in 2000. Then, in 2006, he briefly teamed with wife Connie Chung in weekly hour Weekends with Maury and Connie in 2006 on MNBC.

The news of Maury’s demise comes on the heels of the cancelations of Judge Jerry, hosted by Jerry Springer; The Wendy Williams Show from Debmar-Mercury (which will be replaced by Sherri, hosted by Sherri Shepherd), and Nick Cannon’s eponymous syndicated daytime talk show, also from Debmar-Mercury. Also concluding will be veteran The Ellen DeGeneres Show from Warner Bros. on May 26.