Dr. Phil Coming to an End After More Than 20 Years on the Air

After more than 20 years on the air, Dr. Phil, hosted by Dr. Phil McGraw, is coming to an end. Find out what McGraw said about his major daytime departure.

By Daniel Trainor Feb 01, 2023 3:08 AMTags
Watch: Daytime TV's Biggest Hosts Transform for Halloween 2022

It's the end of an era in daytime TV.

Dr. Phil will say goodbye when its current season comes to a close later this year, E! News confirms.

Hosted by Dr. Phil McGraw, the daytime talk show premiered in September 2002 and has run in syndication for 21 seasons.

"I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television," McGraw said in a statement on Jan. 31. "With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children. This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I'm moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do."

In recent years, the 72-year-old has diversified his resume within the entertainment industry. He is currently an executive producer on CBS' So Help Me Todd, starring Skylar Astin and Marcia Gay Harden. McGraw also hosts two podcasts, Phil in the Blanks and Mystery & Murder: Analysis by Dr. Phil.

photos
The Incredible World of Daytime TV Chyrons

News of the Dr. Phil's swan song comes nearly a year after the show faced allegations of mistreatment on set. In February 2022, Buzzfeed News published a report citing multiple past and current Dr. Phil staffers who detailed experiences of verbal abuse, fear and intimidation while on the job.

None of the staffers, most of whom spoke to the outlet anonymously, said they saw McGraw engage in the specific behavior, but made allegations about a culture of toxicity.

In separate statements to E! News at the time, reps for both McGraw and the show denied the allegations, calling the report a "clickbait story."

McGraw got his start as a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, first appearing in April 1998. He and Oprah Winfrey became acquainted when the talk show queen hired McGraw's legal consulting firm to prepare her for her 1998 libel trial involving a group of Texas cattlemen, stemming from Winfrey's comments about mad cow disease on an episode of her talk show.

After becoming a fan favorite on Winfrey's show, the mogul helped Phil create his own daytime empire by launching Dr. Phil under her Harpo Productions umbrella.

Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Dr. Phil airs in syndication daily across the country. The final episode of the show will air later this year.

Get the drama behind the scenes. Sign up for TV Scoop!