Jennifer Hudson launched her daytime talk show, “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” in 2022 in syndication on stations across the U.S. Since then, she has hosted well over 500 episodes, featuring quite a few high-profile guests. Now that the show has been renewed for its fifth season, the Oscar-winning singer and actress is reflecting on the show’s future and discussing who she’d prefer to see march down her iconic spirit tunnel.
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Jennifer Hudson Opens Up About Her Talk Show Continuing
Hudson interviewed with PEOPLE in March 2026 about her daytime talk show and its future. When asked if her tenure as a chat show host carries additional weight amid shows like “Sherri” being canceled and “The Kelly Clarkson Show” ending, she said, “I have never had much time to give it some thought, to be honest.”
She continued, “They’re amazing, each Kelly and Sherri, and we’re all on this together. I just wish to proceed to make them proud and cheer them on, whatever they determine to do in the long run.”
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Regarding who she’d prefer to have on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in the long run, the “Highlight” singer said, “I have been blessed to have a variety of great guests come to the show. I might like to see Barack Obama come through the Spirit Tunnel. I might like to see Denzel Washington and Halle Berry. I would like to say Cher, but she’s already been to the show.”
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‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ Was Renewed In February
Variety reported on February 19 that Fox Television Stations and Telepictures had renewed “The Jennifer Hudson Show” for its fifth season. The host released an announcement, saying, “This show is about connecting with people in meaningful ways and sharing stories that lift and encourage. Our audience is the heartbeat of the show, and I can’t wait to take Season 5 to recent heights.”
Lauren Blincoe, the Senior Vice President of Current Programming for Telepictures, also released an announcement. She said, “We have fun this milestone and look ahead to creating much more moments that lift, encourage, and permit guests and audiences to ‘feel the love.'”
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‘Sherri’ & ‘Kelly Clarkson’ Were Announced To End
The identical month, on February 2, Kelly Clarkson announced that she was ending her show after the autumn of 2026 to be able to spend more time together with her family following the death of her ex-husband and father of her children, Brandon Blackstock. Per PEOPLE, she said in an announcement, “I actually have been extremely fortunate to work with such an impressive group of individuals at ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ each in Los Angeles and Recent York.”
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She continued, “There have been so many amazing moments and shows over these seven seasons. I’m eternally grateful and honored to have worked alongside the best band and crew you may hope for, all of the talent and provoking individuals who have shared their time and lives with us, all of the fans who’ve supported our show, and to NBC for all the time being such a supportive and incredible partner.”
Also on February 2, Debmar Mercury announced that “Sherri,” hosted by Sherri Shepherd, had not been renewed for a fifth season. Per Deadline, she broke her silence on February 9 while hosting the show. Shepherd said, “This can be a hard morning for all of us here at Sherri. Our show has not been renewed for one more season.”
Still, she said she was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of affection” and vowed to search out a technique to proceed the show in some form. Like Clarkson, “Sherri” will air episodes until fall 2026.
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‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ Is A Hit
The daytime talk show genre is amongst probably the most difficult for television hosting. Seemingly gone are the times when “The Oprah Winfrey Show” lasted 25 seasons or “The Wendy Williams Show” ran for 13 seasons. Luckily for Hudson, fans are still gravitating to her hosting style and her iconic spirit tunnel.
Per Variety, the show continues to grow in certain demographics regarding viewership. Notably, “The Jennifer Hudson Show” saw year-over-year growth amongst adults 25-54 and girls in that age group. The outlet also notes that the series has change into more popular on social media, with over 17.5 million followers, a 90% increase.
Content from the show has 7.5 billion impressions, while engagement is as much as 537 million, proving just how popular the spirit tunnel and Hudson’s interviews are.
The Daytime Talk Show Host Is Producing On Broadway
Hudson became an Oscar winner in 2007 for her iconic supporting role as Effie White within the film adaptation of “Dreamgirls.” Now, almost 20 years after winning, in keeping with Deadline, she has signed on as a producer of the Broadway revival.
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She released an announcement following the news. Based on Hudson, “Twenty years ago, my life modified eternally due to a movie called Dreamgirls. Inspired by the long-lasting stage musical, I used to be given the chance of a lifetime to portray the one and only Effie White – a girl whose story and voice remain an ever-present force in my life. I’m beyond honored to hitch the extraordinary producing team behind this special, newly reimagined Broadway revival, and to assist bring Dreamgirls back to the stage through the visionary direction and choreography of Camille A. Brown. This fall cannot come soon enough.”