‘Dr. Phil’ talk show to end after 21 years on the air

Phil “Dr. Phil” McGraw has announced that he is bringing an end to Dr. Phil, the popular daytime talk show, after this current season finishes airing.

Since 2002, McGraw has invited guests on Dr. Phil to share their unconventional stories while he offered his signature brand of straightforward life advice. McGraw, who was once a licensed psychologist, recently came under fire over allegations that he exploited some of his guests and mistreated employees.

Though Dr. Phil may be coming to an end, it seems McGraw, 72, has no intention of ending his partnership with TV network CBS.

“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.

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After this last season of Dr. Phil ends, CBS plans to continue airing reruns, which may include new intros and updates on some of Dr. Phil’s former guests.

“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,” LoCascio said.

McGraw hinted that he is moving on from Dr. Phil and daytime television in order to announce a “strategic primetime partnership” in 2024 to expand his audience.

“This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career,” McGraw said, “But while I’m moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do.”

“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,” he added.

Dr. Phil has remained a popular offering while other talk shows like it have seen declines in viewers. According to Variety, the show still averages about two million viewers per episode and is second only to Disney’s Live With Kelly and Ryan as the highest-rated daytime talk show.

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McGraw started his television career as a life coach on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the 1990s. Winfrey then helped him launch his own program.

Last year, a Buzzfeed investigation reported that a dozen current and former employees of McGraw experienced verbal, and sometimes racist, abuse in the workplace. They said their experiences working on his show led to declines in their mental health.

Seven employees noted that some of the guests brought on Dr. Phil, some of whom had mental health problems and were already in a vulnerable state, were manipulated and treated unethically.

McGraw denied all allegations in the report.