‘The Chew’ Hosts Get Emotional Discussing Show’s Cancellation on Air

The mood is “a little sad” on the set of ABC’s The Chew, with hosts Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and Michael Symon getting emotional while addressing the show’s cancellation.

Just a day after ABC announced that popular talk/cooking show The Chew would be ending after seven seasons, the atmosphere upon the show’s first episode back post-cancellation news was somber and filled with tears.

“It’s an interesting day here at The Chew because most of you might have heard, some of you might not have, but The Chew has not been picked up for an eighth season – our seventh season is our last,” Kelly said, an announcement that was met with “boos” from the crowd.

“The mood is a little sad around here to be honest with you,” he continued. “There is a lot of people who work really hard on this show and really believe in this show and we’re all going to miss this show very, very much. We’re not going to talk about any trending topics today or hammer home the theme but we thought we’d spend the first segment of the show talking about our feelings.”

On Wednesday, ABC made the announcement that The Chew was canceled, after 1,454 episodes, multiple Emmy nominations and two Emmy wins, with production set to end at the end of its current seventh season.

“I could count on a couple of fingers the days that I didn’t want to wake up at 5:30 and come to work,” co-host Symon said. “It has been the most fun I have every had in my life of any job I have ever had and it’s because of the fans. You guys are unbelievable and you’ve made it so special for us.”

Kelly went on to give a touching tribute to his co-hosts and the show he has called home for the past several years.

“About nine years ago I decided I made a vow to live my life under three guiding principles and those are love, awe, and gratitude,” he said. “I am so grateful to have worked with you guys and gotten to know you for the past seven years because not only are you talented chefs and great TV personalities and really just generous cohosts, you’re also just good people. You are really the salt of the earth, good human beings.”

News of the show’s cancellation came just days after a report was published saying that disgraced chef Mario Batali, who had also been a former co-host on The Chew, was under criminal investigation for sexual assault; however the current co-hosts did not comment on Batali or the accusations.