'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' will end in 2021, Kim announces
It’s the end of an era.
Kim Kardashian announced Tuesday on social media that, after what will be 14 years and 20 seasons since the reality series debuted, Keeping Up With the Kardashians will air its final episode next year.
When the show premiered, in the age of unscripted hit TV shows, such as The Osbournes and Newlyweds, Kim was best known as a celebrity stylist to Brandy and a former assistant to her childhood friend Paris Hilton. She also gained notoriety for the leak of a 5-year-old sex tape featuring her then-boyfriend Ray J early in 2007. Much of her family, including her little sisters, 10-year-old Kylie and Kendall, 11, were introduced to the world for the very first time via the show.
Over the years, the E! series documented Kendall and Kylie’s coming of age and the trio of older Kardashian women — Kim, Kourtney and Khloé — and their younger brother, Rob, marrying and divorcing as they fell in and out of love. The group welcomed a total of 10 children. Kris Jenner, who manages her daughter’s careers, has divorced her own husband, who’s now known as Caitlyn Jenner.
They’ve all wracked up personal brands, such as makeup and clothing lines worth big bucks. Seriously, big. In May, Forbes said Kylie was the highest-paid celebrity of the year, judging by pretax earnings between June 2019 and May 2020. She brought in an estimated $590 million, before deducting fees for managers, lawyers and agents. Her brother-in-law, Kim’s husband Kanye West, was in second place, with estimated earnings of $170 million during the same period.
KUWTK become so popular, in fact, that the network aired several spinoffs, including Rob and Chyna, I Am Cait, Kourtney & Kim Take New York and Khloé & Lamar.
Kim acknowledged that the show has meant a lot to her family over the years but said they made the decision to stop filming together.
She said they are all “beyond grateful” to viewers. “We’ll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we’ve met along the way.”
“Without Keeping Up with The Kardashians, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who has watched and supported me and my family these past 14 incredible years,” Kim said. “This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever.”
The move comes as Kim is working towards a career in law, having already used her platform for good, while her husband has announced plans to seek the presidency.
Over on her page, Khloé shared much the same statement, while Kendall added Kim’s statement to her Instagram Stories.
The final new episodes of the show return Sept. 17 on E!.
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
