Dr. Oz will end talk show amid Senate run
Dr. Oz's political ambitions mean the end of his daytime talk show.
Two weeks after the celebrity doctor (real name: Mehmet Oz) threw his hat in the ring, entering the race for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat, it's been announced that his eponymous show will end in early 2022, Yahoo Entertainment has confirmed with Sony Pictures Television.
The final airdate for the show, which is in its 13th season and had already been renewed for a 14th, will be Jan. 14.
Oz, whose association with Oprah Winfrey first made him a household name, will see his health and wellness show be replaced by a spin-off cooking show featuring his daughter Daphne Oz called The Good Dish. It will also feature co-hosts Gail Simmons (Top Chef) and Jamika Pessoa (Next Food Star). The new show started out as a weekly segment on The Dr. Oz Show.
Dr. Oz Show executive producer Amy Chiaro and co-executive producer Stacy Rader will be helming The Good Dish and say in a statement, "There is no better time for a show like The Good Dish. Daphne, Gail and Jamika know how to make food accessible with the ability to seamlessly deliver home, lifestyle and trending content. These incredible women will make you laugh, enjoy cooking again and make your life just a little easier. It’s the most fun you can have in the kitchen without having to do the dishes.”
A rep for Dr. Oz has not responded to Yahoo Entertainment's request for comment.
On Nov. 30, the cardiothoracic surgeon — who has long been a controversial figure in the medical world for touting unproven medical treatments and making misleading scientific claims — announced he is running for office as a Republican. He praised former President Donald Trump for showing "brilliance" in mRNA vaccine development and slammed the "elites" for the handling of the pandemic.
Candidates running for office must receive equal airtime, per the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), so one day after his big campaign announcement, Fox Station Group announced it was pulling The Dr. Oz Show from New York and Pennsylvania markets.
Oz has faced criticism for not living in the state where he's running for office. The Associated Press reported that the New Jersey resident of three decades "began voting in Pennsylvania’s elections this year by absentee ballot, registered to his in-laws’ address in suburban Philadelphia.” For his part, Oz has said he grew up "across the border south of Philadelphia," in Delaware and went to medical school in Philly. He added that he "came home one year ago," apparently moving to Pennsylvania full-time, adding, "I love the state and I will represent it honorably.” (He retained his N.J. mansion, however, and is frequently sharing social media posts from there.)
Over the weekend, Oz slammed Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, for "misleading, whether willfully or unintentionally, the American public and the United States Congress." Oz also said he doesn't support the Black Lives Matter organization, saying, it "has the wrong approach at every level." He's also said he's against teaching Critical Race Theory in schools.