Jennifer Hudson launched her daytime talk show, “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” in 2022, in syndication on stations across the United States. Since then, she has hosted over 500 episodes, featuring many A-list guests. Now that the series has been renewed for its fifth season, the Oscar-winning singer and actress reflects on the show’s future and discusses who she’d like to see parade through her iconic spiritual tunnel.
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Jennifer Hudson talks about her talk show sequel
Hudson interviewed PEOPLE in March 2026 about her daytime talk show and its future. When asked if her tenure as a talk show host carried added weight amid the cancellation of shows like “Sherri” and the end of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” she said, “I haven’t had a lot of time to think about it, to be honest.”
She continued, “They are amazing, Kelly and Sherri, and we are all in this together. I just want to continue to make them proud and encourage them, whatever they decide to do in the future.”
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Regarding who she would like to have on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in the future, the “Spotlight” singer said, “I’ve been blessed to have a lot of great guests come to the show. I would love to see Barack Obama come through the Spirit Tunnel. I would love to see Denzel Washington and Halle Berry. I mean Cher, but she’s already been on the show.”
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“The Jennifer Hudson Show” was renewed in February
Variety reported on February 19 that Fox and Telepictures had renewed “The Jennifer Hudson Show” for its fifth season. The host released a statement saying, “This show is about connecting with people in meaningful ways and sharing stories that uplift and inspire. Our audience is the heart of the series, and I can’t wait to take season 5 to new heights.”
Lauren Blincoe, senior vice president of current programming for Telepictures, also released a statement. She said: “We celebrate this milestone and look forward to creating even more moments that uplift, inspire and allow guests and audiences to ‘feel the love’.”
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The end of “Sherri” and “Kelly Clarkson” was announced
Same month, February 2 Kelly Clarkson announced that she would end her show after the fall of 2026 in order to spend more time with her family following the death of her ex-husband and father of her children, Brandon Blackstock. According to PEOPLE, she said in a statement: “I have been extremely fortunate to work with such an exceptional group of people on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ in Los Angeles and New York.”
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She continued, “There have been so many incredible moments and performances over these seven seasons. I am forever grateful and honored to have worked alongside the best group and crew you could hope for, to all the talents and inspiring people who have shared their time and lives with us, to all the fans who have supported our show, and to NBC for always being such a supportive and incredible partner.”
Also on February 2, Debmar Mercury announced that “Sherri,” hosted by Sherri Bergerhad not been renewed for a fifth season. According to Deadline, she broke her silence on February 9 while hosting the show. Shepherd said, “This is a tough morning for all of us here at Sherri. Our show has not been renewed for another season.”
Still, she said she was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love” and vowed to find a way to continue the series in some form. Like Clarkson, “Sherri” will air episodes through fall 2026.
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“The Jennifer Hudson Show” is a success
The daytime talk show genre is one of the most challenging for television hosting. Gone seem to be the days when “The Oprah Winfrey Show” lasted for 25 seasons or “The Wendy Williams Show” lasted for 13 seasons. Luckily for Hudson, fans are still drawn to his hosting style and iconic spiritual tunnel.
Per Variety, the show continues to grow in certain audience demographics. Notably, “The Jennifer Hudson Show” saw year-over-year growth among adults 25-54 and women in that age group. The outlet also notes that the series has become more popular on social media, with more than 17.5 million followers, an increase of 90%.
The show’s content has 7.5 billion impressions, while engagement reaches 537 million, proving how popular Hudson’s spirit tunnel and interviews are.
The Broadway-produced daytime talk show host
Hudson became an Academy Award winner in 2007 for her iconic supporting role as Effie White in the film adaptation of “Dreamgirls.” Now, nearly two decades after winning, according to Deadline, she has signed on as a producer for the Broadway revival.
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She released a statement following the news. According to Hudson, “Twenty years ago, my life was forever changed by a film called Dreamgirls. Inspired by the iconic musical, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to play the one and only Effie White – a woman whose story and voice remain an ever-present force in my life. I am beyond honored to join the extraordinary production team behind this newly reimagined Broadway special, and to help bring Dreamgirls back to the stage through the visionary direction and choreography of Camille A. Brown “fall can’t come soon enough.”