LOS ANGELES — Ask veteran television executive Frank Cicha to recall the last time the daytime TV schedule has seen such turnover, and he has a ready answer: Never.
“Never,” he repeated. “There’s been sort of signature tumultuous moments,” including Oprah Winfrey ending her 25-year run in 2011. But the “en masse” exit of shows and the relatively few new ones replacing them is unprecedented, he said.
What Cicha terms daytime’s “re-rack” has created openings for “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and “Sherri,” with Sherri Shepherd, both debuting Monday, and “Karamo” with Karamo Brown of “Queer Eye” fame, starting Sept. 19.
They are joining a daytime lineup that includes continuing talk-variety series “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” “The Drew Barrymore Show,”“Tamron Hall” and ratings leaders “The View,” “Dr. Phil” and “Live with Kelly and Ryan.”
Gone from the picture are the long-running shows led by Ellen DeGeneres, Wendy Williams and Maury Povich. Others that have turned off the stage lights include “The Nick Cannon Show,” “Dr. Oz” and “The Real.”
Success with daytime’s female-skewing audience isn’t guaranteed no matter a contender’s resume or fame, as illustrated by the short-lived runs of hosts including Queen Latifah, Megan Mullally and Harry Connick Jr.
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