Oprah to End Her Talk Show in 2011

(CBS/ AP)  Oprah Winfrey's iconic television talk show will end in 2011 after 25 seasons on the air, her production company said Thursday.

It was not clear why she made the decision to take the show off the air, CBS station WBBM reports.

Winfrey plans to give more details live for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on a live Friday broadcast, according to Chicago-based Harpo Productions Inc.

The show will draw to a close on September 9, 2011, according to a statement by Tim Bennett, president of Harpo, Inc.

"Oprah's personal comments about this on tomorrow's live show will mark an historic television moment that we will all be talking about for years to come," Bennett said.

Winfrey started her broadcasting career in Nashville, Tenn., and Baltimore, Md., before relocating to Chicago in 1984 to host WLS-TV's morning talk show "A.M. Chicago." That show was renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 1985.

A year later, Winfrey established Harpo and her talk show went into syndication. In 1990, Winfrey opened Harpo Studios in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.

Over the years, Winfrey drew Chicago into her spotlight. In September, she drew more than 20,000 fans to a taping of her show on Michigan Avenue. A tearful Winfrey was in Chicago's Grant Park as Barack Obama was elected president.

She also lobbied for Chicago's failed bid to host the 2016 Olympics, traveling to Denmark in an attempt to woo members of the International Olympic Committee to vote for her hometown.

In January 2008, Winfrey opened The Oprah Store - a 5,500-square-foot hybrid souvenir shop and trendy boutique - near her studios in an area that was once a warehouse district. It has hosted an average 250 post-Oprah show shoppers and curious Winfrey fans a day.

[NotPartyControlled]

Maybe the days of bribing an audience to attend will end. she was getting a little to much of a racist anyway.

[jimbryho]

yaaaaaaaaaay!

[TryTakingMyMoney]

Like liberal media, supporting Obama cost you dearly. The same fate comes to Oprah. How appropriate that she quits just before watching her man go down in 2012. She knows this event will suck the remaining life out of anyone that publicly supported him. Oprah just sees the handwriting on the wall!

[sunday42]

I am sure she will either take a position in ACORN or become one Obama's czar minion.

[nowhiningallowed]

Oprah hasn't any genuine talent and had it not been for others opening doors for her (especially Roger Ebert), something she rarely acknowledges due to her narcissism, she'd be nowhere.

[whatsup49]

if she left today, it wouldn't bother me. . . her show went from being really informative to being really sensationalistic . . . the sooner she's gone, the better.

[mycommentspg]

Apparently an egomaniac with too much money. Why give a two year notice, just end the show now!

[Hosheen]

This show will not be missed by anyone that can think rationally for themselves. But I'm sure Oprah's monumental ego will not permit her to just quietly go away. She'll find some other way to keep the sheep following her.

Fat Rules!

[Brokennews]

This could be devastating to the Bon-Bon industry.

[louiville35]

GREAT, an end the Queen of Misandry and male stereotyping.

What's next, probably some lesbian misanthropy/misandry expert.