Oprah Delivers Tearful Goodbye

Choking back tears, Oprah Winfrey closed her show Friday with the official announcement that she plans to end her show in September 2011 after 25 years on the air. The “Oprah” show will end its run on September 9, 2011.

Launched nationally in 1986, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is viewed by an estimated 42 million viewers each week in the United States.* Oprah and "The Oprah Winfrey Show" have received 48 Daytime Emmy Awards®, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. "The Oprah Winfrey Show" has remained the number one talk show for 23 consecutive seasons, winning every sweep since its debut in 1986.** It is produced in Chicago by Harpo Productions, Inc. and syndicated to 215 domestic stations by CBS Television Distribution and to 145 countries by CBS Studios International.

Said Winfrey, “I love this show. This show has been my life. And I love it enough to know when it's time to say good-bye. Twenty-five years feels right in my bones and it feels right in my spirit. It's the perfect number?the exact right time. So I hope that you will take this 18-month ride with me right through to the final show.”

Winfrey continued, “So, the countdown to the end of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ starts now and until that day in 2011 when it ends, I intend to soak up every meaningful, joy-filled moment with you.”

After production wraps on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Winfrey plans to appear and participate in new programming for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a 24-hour cable network that reflects her vision, values and interests. The launch date for OWN, a joint venture with Discovery Communications, is now set for January 2011.