Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Jennifer Hudson is headed back to FOX twenty years after her introduction to the world through American Idol. The Aretha star will be hosting her first-ever talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, which will be launching this fall on FOX networks, Variety reported.
“I have experienced so much in my life; I’ve seen the highest of the highs, the lowest of the lows, and just about everything in between, but as my mother always told me, ‘Once you think you’ve seen it all, just keep on living,’” Hudson said in a statement about her new venture. “People from around the world have been a part of my journey from the beginning — twenty years ago — and I’m so ready to join their journey as we sit down and talk about the things that inspire and move us all. I have always loved people, and I cannot wait to connect on a deeper level and let audiences see the different sides of who I am, the human being, in return. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to do it alongside this incredible team. We’re about to have a lot of fun and shake things up a little bit!”
The “Spotlight” singer is now the second American Idol alum to have her own talk show. Kelly Clarkson has her own NBC talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, which has been renewed through 2023. Hudson’s new gig will reunite her with Mike Darnell, who was the head of alternative television at FOX where he worked behind the scenes of American Idol while Hudson was a contestant.
“I knew that Jennifer was a force to be reckoned with from the moment I met her nearly 20 years ago,” Darnell said in a statement about Hudson. “From her Grammy-winning career in music, to her Oscar-winning acting career, Jennifer’s amazing talent, big heart and authenticity shine through in everything she does. I am thrilled to be working with her in this new role. She’s a natural, and I know audiences will embrace her in their homes every day.”
The Jennifer Hudson Show will be produced by the same team behind The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which will be ending after 19 seasons.
