Mary Connelly will be departing as executive producer and co-showrunner of The Jennifer Hudson Show at the end of daytime syndicated talk show’s current second season. The daytime veteran is leaving The Jennifer Hudson Show‘s producer Warner Bros. Unscripted Television/Telepictures, her studio home of more than two decades, to pursue new projects. She made the announcement to the show’s staff and crew Thursday.
Among the station groups renewing the Warner Bros. Television Group’s Daytime Emmy-nominated talk show are Fox Television Stations and Hearst Television.
The Jennifer Hudson Show will return for its sophomore season in syndication beginning next week after delaying its premiere due to the WGA strike, which officially came to an end earlier this week. Beginning Monday, Oct. 2, the host will welcome guests Gwen Stefani, Niall Horan, Taye Diggs and Cedric the Entertainer, among others, for the daytime talk show’s first week back.
The Jennifer Hudson Show is following The Drew Barrymore Show and The Talk in delaying its upcoming season while the writers remain on strike. A source close to the production confirms to Deadline that after much discussion, and at Hudson’s urging, The Jennifer Hudson Show is pausing production and its season two premiere, which was slated for Monday, Sept. 18.
The two daytime shows are Writers Guild signatories and would follow The Drew Barrymore Show in returning to production.
The appearance will mark the first time an elected national leader has been a guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show, which debuted in September. While the topics of their conversation have not been shared, the interview comes at a time with a heavy public discussion regarding recent shootings, LGBTQ rights, climate change and a possible national TikTok ban.
Exclusives
Warner Bros. Discovery’s freshman talker tops ratings charts and scores a renewal from Fox Television Stations, Hearst and others.
