Move over Kelly Clarkson! Another American Idol alum is moving into the daytime talk show space. Jennifer Hudson is pitching a new show to be produced by the team from the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
She wouldn’t technically be an Ellen replacement, reports Variety. As in her show wouldn’t be a continuation of the Ellen deals–it’s being shopped as an entirely new series. However, it would be positioned as Warner Bros. TV’s new flagship daytime talk show after Ellen ends her run in spring 2022.
Ellen executive producers Andy Lassner and Mary Connelly also served as show runners on Jennifer’s test show, which was recently shot on the Ellen stage and is now being used as part of the pitch to station groups. Those meetings are taking place this week and appear to be going well so far, reports Variety.
The show, produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television with Telepictures, does not yet have an official title. Producers are still working out the specifics of the format.
According to Variety, Warner Bros talked to around 30 people in order to identify a “marquee” star. Eventually Jennifer emerged and became the obvious choice. She already has experience in the unscripted realm beyond American Idol having served as a coach on The Voice and also the UK version.
Notably, Jennifer won a Daytime Emmy award this year for interactive media for a daytime program, via Oculus Quest’s “Baba Yaga,” which she executive produced.
Fun fact: The show brings Jennifer back together with Mike Darnell, the president of unscripted and alternative television at Warner Bros. Prior to Warner Bros., Darnell was the longtime head of alternative at Fox, where he oversaw the American Idol franchise, including in 2004, when Jennifer finished in 7th place on season 3.
Insiders tell Variety that Jennifer is a well-liked talent whose vocal skills are often lauded and brings an “authentic and natural” take to the talk show gig.
