Oprah shares heartbreaking story about her cancelled talk show

Here is a summary of the story Oprah shared, which is a poignant moment from the final episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah’s Heartbreaking Story About Canceling Her Talk Show

During the farewell season of her iconic talk show in 2011, Oprah Winfrey shared the emotional and “heartbreaking” moment she made the decision to end the program.

The Core of the Story:

The heartbreak didn’t come from the network canceling her; it came from her own decision to end the show while it was still at the peak of its success. She described it as one of the hardest choices of her life.

Key Details:

1. The “Whisper” and the Realization: Oprah has often spoken about listening to her inner voice or intuition, which she calls “the whisper.” She revealed that she first heard “the whisper”—the feeling that it was time to end the show—as early as 2007, during her 22nd season.

2. The Moment of Decision: The definitive, heartbreaking moment came during an interview with the legendary Gospel singer and civil rights icon BeBe Winans. She was so profoundly moved and fulfilled by the conversation that her intuition spoke to her clearly: “This is what you were called to do. You’re done.”

3. Why It Was Heartbreaking: Ending the show meant letting go of what she described as her life’s greatest purpose and her “love letter” to her audience. It meant saying goodbye to a daily, 25-year relationship with millions of viewers who had become like family. She knew her decision would sadden and disappoint her dedicated team and her audience, which made it an emotionally devastating choice, even though it was the right one for her personal growth.

4. The Aftermath: After making the decision, she famously walked into the office of her longtime partner, Stedman Graham, and simply said, “It’s time.” She then had to gather her staff and break the news to them, a meeting that was filled with tears and disbelief.

In essence, the “heartbreaking story” is not one of forced cancellation but of conscious, painful closure. It was about Oprah having the courage to end a historic chapter on her own terms, listening to her inner voice even when it led her away from something she deeply loved. This decision ultimately paved the way for her to launch the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) and embark on the next chapter of her career.