In 2011, media outlets were abuzz with headlines like “Daytime Shakeup” and “Death of Soap Opera.” Celebrity chefs had become rock stars in the new millennium, and TV networks were itching to build in new food/lifestyle shows. The Chew was one of the shows aimed at shaking up daytime television, and it did so successfully for seven seasons.
At the time, The Washington Post compared it to The View, but The Chew was more about food mixed in with good-natured gab, and included less politics and news of the day chatter from the start. The show would prove to be a hit, winning Daytime Emmys in 2015 and 2016, and building up a legion of loyal fans. As popular as The Chew was with its five hosts for a number of years, all was not right in the kitchen, and ABC eventually grew tired of the recipe, cancelling it in summer 2018.
So what happened to put The Chew on the chopping block? Well, there are a number of possible culprits that led to its demise. Heres the story behind The Chews cancellation, and what happened after its goose was cooked.
It lost another longtime cast member in August 2017
Daytime talk shows seem to mix up their co-hosts on a regular basis, but The Chews cast remained constant from 2011-2017. In August 2017, just before Batalis departure, longtime cast member Daphne Oz said goodbye after six seasons.
“It has been an incredible 6 seasons with the @abcthechew crew, and I am honored to always be a part of this wild family of 5!” Oz said on Instagram.
Oz said she left the show to focus on her new baby and being a mom to her other young children. Fans can only speculate whether Oz felt the shows time was winding down, but her absence, along with Batalis soon after, certainly changed the dynamic of the show. “Nobody can hide,” Hall said. “With three people, you really cant say, Okay, those four will take care of it.”
Creator and executive producer of the show, Gordon Elliott said of Oz that the “moment she sat at the table with Mario, Clinton, Michael and Carla, I knew we had a great television show.” The Chew was never the same after she left.
Mario Batali’s sexual assault allegations didn’t help
Mario Batali was the most recognizable face when The Chew debuted in 2011, and he stayed with the program until December 2017. When numerous women came forward and accused the celebrity chef of sexual misconduct over several decades, ABC announced that it had terminated its relationship with him. (No charges were ultimately filed).
Having your most famous co-host abruptly leave the show following something like possible sexual assault is never a good thing. To her credit, Carla Hall said that herself and her co-stars remained positive about the change. “You know, things happen in life and so we just make lemonade,” Hall said. “We just get in there and were in it together.”
Initially, Batalis departure didnt cause a ratings plummet either. In the week before the accusations came out, the shows season seven-day averages were 319,000 women 18-49. Following his leave they were around 320,000 viewers.
Thats not to say that Batalis departure didnt hurt The Chew. When he left the show, ABC essentially lost the six years worth of episodes that they could use as reruns. This also meant that earlier seasons of the show probably wouldnt be sold to other cooking channels or be shown on ABC Family.
The Real Reason ABC Cancelled ‘The Chew’
FAQ
When did The Chew end?
What happened to members of The Chew?
What cooking show replaced All My Children?
What happened to ‘the Chew’?
Michael Symon has his Mabel’s BBQ restaurant in Cleveland and new Las Vegas locale to focus on, and Carla Hall is out promoting a new soul food cookbook. The Chew might have aired its final episode back in June of 2018, but ABC was still running reruns of the show in its regular time slot well into the summer.
What food can one chew when dieting?
Eating several times and slowly helps the body feel full with a smaller amount of food. So, this technique is a good suggestion for those who want to lose weight. Also, eating slowly makes you eat more attentively to what you eat, and how much you eat.
When did ‘the chew’ end?
The Chew might have aired its final episode back in June of 2018, but ABC was still running reruns of the show in its regular time slot well into the summer. The final kick into the garbage can came for The Chew when GMA Day made its third hour debut on September 10.
Was ‘the Chew’ dead last?
That might be partly true, but it’s probably safe to assume if a show was dead last with Nielsen’s ratings, it probably wasn’t number one in streaming. Mario Batali was the most recognizable face when The Chew debuted in 2011, and he stayed with the program until December 2017.