“Dr. Phil” McGraw is choosing to end his show — “The Dr. Phil Show” — after 21 seasons on the air, CBS Media Ventures announced on Tuesday.
What’s next? “This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I’m moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do,” McGraw said.
- CBS reported that McGraw plans to move from the daytime slot and plans to roll out a prime-time partnership which is scheduled for a 2024 release.
- “I am compelled to engage with a broader audience because I have grave concerns for the American family, and I am determined to help restore a clarity of purpose as well as our core values,” McGraw continued.
- The Associated Press stated that CBS will release new “Dr. Phil” episodes throughout 2023, but will air reruns after that.
About Dr. Phil: McGraw gained fame after being a repeated guest on the “Oprah Winfrey” show, resulting in his own spinoff — “The Dr. Phil Show” — which first aired in 2002, according to CBS.
- In 21 years on the air, the show has consistently held the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in the daytime talk show genre. The program has also received 31 Emmy nominations and has won five PRISM awards. “The Dr. Phil Show” has also won a Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Media Award, per CBS.
Notable ‘Dr. Phil Show’ guests:
- One of the most memorable — and meme-able — “The Dr. Phil Show” guests was Danielle Bregoli, also known as the “cash me ousside” girl. Bregoli was featured on the show in 2017 for her bratty behaviors, where she challenged the audience to a fight using the infamous phrase, “Catch me outside, how about that?” Bregoli’s behavior led her to become an internet sensation, now known as Bad Bhabie. Bregoli’s fame has led her to a successful rap career, with her most popular song having over 200 million streams on Spotify alone. She currently has 16.2 million followers on Instagram.
- Burke Ramsey — the older brother of JonBenét Ramsey, a child pageant star who was killed in 1996 at only 6 years old — was one of the show’s notable guests. Ramsey, 20 years after his sister's death, was the only member of the family who hadn’t spoken to the public. Many people found his behavior on the show to be strange, according to Screen Rant.
- Naya Tuiasosopo was another guest on McGraw’s show, known for catfishing football star Manti Te’o. Tuiasosopo posed as a woman online, and eventually developed a relationship with Te’o, according to WatchMojo. The situation later became a Netflix documentary titled “Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.”
- Treasure Richards, a Black woman, was featured on “The Dr. Phil Show” because she claimed that she was white, making racist remarks toward Black people. However, Richards’ sister later told Insider that her sister was a fraud, faking the facade in exchange for fame and a trip to L.A. to be on McGraw’s show. Her sister claims that “The Dr. Phil Show” preyed on their family's poverty and exploited Richards’ behavior for ratings.
Controversy: NPR reports that “The Dr. Phil Show” and McGraw himself have garnered criticism for exploiting guests’ mental illness for views. His lack of actual psychology credentials has also made headlines, with some people questioning his credibility.
- In an investigation by Buzzfeed News, “The Dr. Phil Show” employees state that guests of the show are “manipulated” for a more dramatic television appearance. A former employee even said that they were instructed not to give a guest her prescribed medication before she appeared on the show.