‘Judge Judy’ Fans in Disbelief After Baliff Byrd Confirms He Wasn’t Asked Back for New Show

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly,  Judge Judy Sheindlin‘s longtime bailiff, Petri Hawkins Byrd, revealed that he would not be involved in her new show Judy Justice despite working on Judge Judy for 25 years. According to Byrd, Sheindlin never even asked him to be a part of the new show.

“My assumption is if you were going on to do something else, that you were at least going to ask me if I wanted to have the opportunity to audition for the role,” Byrd told Entertainment Weekly Friday. Once Judge Judy production finished in April, Byrd completely devoted his attention to his wife, Judge Judy producer Makita Bond-Byrd, who was scheduled for brain surgery. Thankfully, doctors successfully removed 95% of Bond-Byrd’s tumor.

“I didn’t have time to think about or ask about Judy Justice,” Byrd explained. “It wasn’t until July that I called the judge and asked, ‘Hey, should I look for something else or am I included in the Judy Justice project?’” Sheindlin told Byrd he was not being asked to join the Judy Justice cast. He didn’t press her as to why, but she blamed the budget. “I didn’t inquire as to why, that’s her choice. But she did inform me that fundamentally, I was priced out as the new bailiff on her new show,” Byrd told EW. With the revelation that Byrd was completely cut out of Judy Justice, former fans of the show were incensed on his behalf.

Voicing Their Displeasure

Fans took to social media to express their frustration. “I had a lot of respect for her but now he was a asset to her show what is wrong with her,” wrote one former viewer on Facebook.

A Betrayal

“That’s very disappointing! He deserves more than that….. after that long … wow,” wrote one fan of Byrd. “Shows the kind of person she is. Turning her back on someone who took her crap for 25 years. Setting up her grandaughter and the new bailiff with I believe has family ties as well. I won’t be watching,” wrote another. 

After All These Years

“Keeping his cool hearing her yelling and insulting people deserved some loyalty from her. He made a lot of money but should have been given the courtesy of a choice,” wrote another Judge Judy viewer on Facebook.

Lack of Loyalty

Most people seemed put off by Sheindlin’s apparent lack of loyalty. “I think they should if given him the opportunity!” wrote one angry fan on Facebook. “Apparently Judge Judy did not want the person that’s been with her through the show!! I’m disappointed in her! Fame apparently got to her!”

Encouraging Byrd

People were also determined to encourage Byrd onto bigger and better things. “Bad call Judge Judy,” one fan wrote on Facebook. “He was loyal to you. Very disappointed. Your better than that Judge Judy. Karma has way of making a wrong a right!”