Warner Bros. Unscripted Television/Telepictures has ended the run of daytime talk show “The Real” after eight seasons, Variety has learned.
The show, which aired in Fox-owned stations in major markets, utilized a panel strip format similar to “The View.” The syndicated series created by “Jersey Shore” executive producer SallyAnn Salsano was known for offering perspectives from multicultural women and aiming at a young adult audience. The original hosts included actor Tamera Mowry-Housley, stylist Jeannie Mai, singer Tamar Braxton and singer an actress Loni Love. According to insiders, Warner Bros. opted to end the show after Fox stations declined to pick up another season, and the move is not related to the launch of “The Jennifer Hudson Show.”
“The Real” underwent several changes throughout its run. It first premiered in 2013 and was picked up by Fox stations in 2014. The first three seasons were made up of pre-taped episodes, but Season 4 switched to live broadcasting in order to invite more fan participation. In 2016, Braxton was the first of the original hosts to leave the show, citing a desire to focus on her solo career.
Actor and comedian Amanda Seales, known for playing Tiffany DuBois in “Insecure,” joined the series for Season 6 in 2020, but left after five months, saying that she felt the show didn’t allow her the freedom to discuss current events the way she would prefer to. Mowry-Housely exited in July 2020. Similarly to Braxton, she announced her departure on good terms, simply explaining that “all good things must come to an end.” The following month, she was replaced by Garcelle Beauvais, the reality star famed for being the first Black cast member of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. And behind the camera, Salsano stepped down as showrunner in 2015, though she continued consulting on the series.
“The Real” was produced by Telepictures and distributed by Warner Bros., and was their longest-running daytime syndicated talk show behind “Ellen” and “Jenny Jones.” The series won three Daytime Emmy Awards and two NAACP Image Awards.
