Jennifer Hudson Tapped as Ellen DeGeneres' Replacement, New Talk Show Plans Revealed

11/08/2021 11:33 am EST

Jennifer Hudson is ready to take over daytime television. Variety exclusively reports that the Oscar-winning actress is taking Ellen DeGeneres' spot as the long-running talk show is in its final season. Hudson's show however is not officially being coined as DeGeneres' replacement. Instead of being a "continuation" of DeGeneres' show, Hudson's show is being shopped as a completely new series and will be positioned as Warner Bros. TV's new flagship daytime talk show. 

DeGeneres' current executive producers, Andy Lassner and Mary Connelly, also served as showrunners on Hudson's test daytime show. Hudson's test show was recently shot on the same stage where DeGeneres films. It is now being used as part of the pitch to television station groups. The meetings are reportedly going well. Hudson's show has been developed as "a first-run syndicated broadcast TV daily strip." The report notes that there are currently no plans to pitch to other platforms, nor streamers.

Hudson's show does not currently have a title. The show is a product of Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, in association with Telepictures. Several key elements of the show are still being worked out, such as whether the show will feature a DJ or live band.

Amid DeGeneres' show ending, Warner Bros. did extensive research to fill DeGeneres' void. After talking to about 30 people, Hudson was reportedly the most interested and the perfect choice. 

Outside of music and acting, Hudson has served as a coach on both the U.S. and U.K. versions of The Voice. Hudson is also no stranger to daytime television. She won a Daytime Emmy award during this year's ceremony for interactive media for a daytime program. The award was for Hudson's work on Oculus Quest's "Baba Yaga," which she served as an executive producer.

DeGeneres announced in May 2021 that she would end her show after 19 seasons when her contract ends in 2022. She originally planned to end the show in 2019 but renewed for three final years. However, her image and reputation were somewhat tarnished after a BuzzFeed investigative report revealed staff members who accuse DeGeneres of creating a hostile work environment. 

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