Daytime TV is saying goodbye to a legend.
Maury Povich, the beloved host of NBCUniversal’s “Maury,” is retiring after 31 years of his namesake series, Access Hollywood confirms.
According to a press release, the show will complete its run of original episodes in September and air repeats in syndication, thanks to “thousands of lively, entertaining and dramatic episodes that will continue to be successful in daytime for years to come.”
Povich, 83, is the longest-running daytime talk show host in the history of broadcast television.
Tracie Wilson, Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, shared in a statement on Sunday that she and Maury decided two years ago that this season of the show would be its last.
Though Wilson noted that the media personality’s retirement is “bittersweet,” she said the network is “so happy for him to be able to spend more time on the golf course.”
Adding, “Maury is a television icon, a pop culture legend and we couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of his incredible career.”
Povich himself joked in a statement that his decision to step down had been brewing for some time.
“Six years ago when I was ready to retire, my the NBCUniversal family asked me to continue the show,” he said. “Even though I told them I was ready for assisted living, out of loyalty to NBCUniversal and my more than 100 staff and crew members, Tracie Wilson and I agreed to one more deal. I’m so proud of my relationship with NBCUniversal and all those who worked on the ‘Maury’ show but as I occasionally tell my guests on ‘Maury,’ ‘Enough, already!'”
“Maury” premiered as “The Maury Povich Show” in 1991 before adopting a shortened title seven years later. The show has been with NBCUniversal for 24 seasons and became a phenomenon with its paternity test-themed episodes, complete with Povich’s signature line: “You are not the father.”
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