The big red balls have stopped bouncing for John Cena. As the WWE icon navigates his return to wrestling, TVLine reports that TBS has officially pulled the plug on his hosting gig on the Wipeout revival, which he co-hosted with comedian Nicole Byer.
The cancellation announcement came Monday during the Realscreen Summit in Miami, where Jason Sarlanis, President of TNT, TBS, TruTV, ID & HLN at Warner Bros. Discovery, revealed the decision. According to Deadline, while Sarlanis praised the show as “inherently comedic and a joy to watch,” he indicated that budget considerations drove the cancellation, noting, “We have to recalibrate. But I think what we’re looking at is being realistic in terms of the entire environment.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
The revival, which launched in April 2021, featured enhanced obstacles that were “bigger and wetter than ever,” with contestants competing through water, slime, mud, and the show’s signature big red balls for a $25,000 prize. Sports broadcaster Camille Kostek provided sideline commentary and interviews from the three main courses: The Qualifier, The Gauntlet, and The Wipeout Zone.
The original version of Wipeout had enjoyed a successful run on ABC from 2008 to 2014. The revival’s second and final season began its run in November 2023, took a year-long hiatus, and most recently aired on Jan. 26. TVLine reports that “a few more episodes” remain to be broadcast.
The cancellation comes amid broader programming changes at Warner Bros. Discovery‘s Turner Networks. Deadline reports that TNT and TBS are undergoing significant strategic shifts, with TNT recently losing NBA rights and TBS pursuing new directions in programming, including sports-adjacent reality shows. Sarlanis noted that “when you look at the sports audience, there’s truly no audience like it on the planet. They come for whatever sport that they’re passionate about, and they very often leave the second that sport ends.”
This programming shift reflects larger changes in viewing habits. “It’s an evolution, frankly,” Sarlanis explained. “When I look at both TNT and TBS, they’re really coalitions of fan bases.” He highlighted how established shows like The Big Bang Theory consistently outperform new programming, forcing networks to rethink their strategy.
The Wipeout announcement wasn’t isolated, as Sarlanis also confirmed the end of The Cube, hosted by NBA champion Dwyane Wade. TBS is now focusing on new initiatives like Foul Play, a prank show featuring Anthony Davis and the Impractical Jokers crew, scheduled to launch Feb. 16.
The network is also expanding its Friday Night Vibes movie series with hosts Nina Parker and Kevin Fredericks from monthly to weekly programming starting in June. The series’ fourth season marks its transition to a weekly format, which Sarlanis enthusiastically supports, noting, “We had such a blast doing this reboot, and we’re bringing that back in June as a new weekly version of the series. I just absolutely love it.”
