“I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television,” McGraw said. “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.”
‘Phil Changed the Daytime Landscape’
According to the statement, the former host will be focusing on prime-time programming in the immediate future and will soon unveil “a strategic prime-time partnership” that is set to launch early in 2024, and which will “expand his reach and increase his impact on television and viewers.”McGraw said in the statement that he was “compelled to engage with a broader audience because I have grave concerns for the American family, and I am determined to help restore a clarity of purpose as well as our core values.”
Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures, said McGraw is a “valued partner and member of the CBS/King World family,” adding that the company has a strong relationship with the TV host.
“Phil changed the daytime landscape as the force behind one of the most popular talk shows ever on daytime TV—We plan to be in the ‘Dr. Phil’ business with the library for years to come and welcome opportunities to work together in the future,” LoCascio said.
Show Faces Criticism
McGraw was also honored with the Presidential Citation by the American Psychological Association in 2006 for his significant contributions to the field of psychology, was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2015, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2020.His show featured an array of guests who were often battling with an array of issues with regard to their health, finances, and relationships, and quickly became regular on daytime television.
At the time, attorneys for McGraw denied the allegations.