Talk Show host Montel Williams has announced that he'll bid farewell to his high-rated daytime talk show at the end of this season.
The 51-year-old's self-titled talk show has been on air for 17 years, but when production wraps this spring, it will be for the final time.
In a statement released by CBS Television Distribution, Williams expressed his gratitude for lasting on television for almost two decades.
"I can't say thank you enough to those who've welcomed me into their homes for the past seventeen years. It has been both an honor and a joy," said the TV talker.
Williams, a former Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, has traveled the world because of the 'Montel Williams Show.'
"[I] talked with over 30,000 guests and over a half million studio audience members," he said.
While there won't be any new episodes of the show airing, CBS Television Distribution disclosed plans to provide a series of best-of episodes for fall 2008 that will consist of a full-year of programming highlighting "the most exciting episodes from the last 17 years."
"We have been honored to have Montel as a part of our family for the past 17 years, and we're very excited that Montel will live on through these 'Best of' episodes," John Nagasaki, president and COO of CBS Television Distribution, said in the release.
Since debuting in 1991, the Emmy-winning talk show host was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and launched his Montel Williams MS Foundation to raise awareness for the disease.
Prior announcing on Jan. 30 that his talk show would end, Williams had been on a whirlwind publicity tour over the last several weeks promoting his latest book, 'Living Well: 21 Days to Transform Your Life, Supercharge Your Health, and Feel Spectacular,' which was co-written with William Doyle.
1. Talk show hosts must find a niche' or fill a role to make their way on television. One person fills that specific role and two means someone is getting fired. Montel's role was to challenge young females to change their lives. He'd get in their faces to yell and scream or even scare them straight, but 17 years of this means the babies just aren't getting it. What other niche can he take? Maury has a strangle hold on "Baby Mama Drama." Steve Wilkos has all the "Dead Beat Dad's" booked. Jerry is a "Broadway Show." Oprah has the "Bookworld, Politics, and Scientology" covered for years. What else can Montel do? The man can't pass a drug test and now employers can fire him with a perscription. Damn, that's cold. I wouldn't say a word if I didn't care. The man can't smoke weed with a perscription?
Cecil Jones at 10:10AM on Jan 31st 2008