Dr. Phil McGraw is bidding farewell to the long-running daytime series Dr. Phil. McGraw opened up about his decision to step back from his iconic series in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight on the heels of the announcement that Dr. Phil would be coming to an end at the conclusion of its 21st season later this year.
“I’ve been doing this for 21 years and I love it, I’m still very passionate about it, and make no mistake, I’m not moving on from television. I’m just moving on from daytime [TV],” McGraw explained. While he isn’t able to “talk about it yet” due to some pending details that are being finalized, McGraw expects to return to air “in a really big way” in January 2024 and said he “wanted to partner with a network, so I can do some things in primetime that really have significance.”
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“[It’s] not just a show, but a whole approach to what’s going on in America right now because… I’m very concerned with what’s going on in America right now,” he continued. “I’m concerned that the American family’s under attack, that our values are under attack, that the very concept of truth is under attack. I wanted a bigger audience, a bigger play, a bigger platform than daytime can afford.”
McGraw said his commitment to helping people in their day-to-day lives will be his focus moving forward. “I’m not getting ready to do a political show,” he clarified. “It’s gonna be Dr. Phil – I think at my highest and best use of television – dealing with couples, dealing with families, how everything going on is impacting them, and seeing things through their eyes.”
McGraw hopes his “loyal” and “true” daytime viewers will follow him to the next platform but admits it won’t be easy ending a series that he’s been doing for more than two decades. “When I came out here, I didn’t know how long this was gonna last,” McGraw noted. “… 21 years is a whole career for a lot of people, and I’ve made some wonderful relationships there that go way beyond the work relationships… It’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience… We’re gonna miss it, I’ll put it that way.”
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NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)
