(Photo by: CBS Media Ventures)
Phil McGraw and his wife Robin will soon be making their final end-of-episode exit. It’s been announced that the syndicated Dr. Phil show is ending its successful run with the current 21st season. The program was renewed for four years in 2018 and this season is the last year in that order. The final episode will air in May.
Though there won’t be any new episodes after that, CBS Media Ventures will offer local TV stations library episodes of Dr. Phil for the 2023-24 season and beyond. Those episodes will include new content such as wrap-arounds and intros by McGraw, as well as guest updates.
Debuting in 2002, the Dr. Phil series has been very successful in first-run syndication and has produced more than 3,500 episodes. The show features Phil McGraw offering guests “life strategies” based on his years as a clinical and forensic psychologist.
“I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television,” said McGraw. “With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children. This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I’m moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do.”
In the immediate future, McGraw will focus on prime-time programming and plans to announce a strategic primetime partnership, scheduled for an early 2024 launch. He said, “I am compelled to engage with a broader audience because I have grave concerns for the American family, and I am determined to help restore a clarity of purpose as well as our core values.”
“Phil is a valued partner and member of the CBS/King World family, and while his show may be ending after 21 years, I’m happy to say our relationship is not,” said Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures. “Phil changed the daytime landscape as the force behind one of the most popular talk shows ever on daytime TV — We plan to be in the Dr. Phil business with the library for years to come and welcome opportunities to work together in the future.”
What do you think? Have you watched the Dr. Phil TV series? Will you be sorry to see the show end in May? Would you keep watching “classic” episodes?