Rachael Ray's daytime TV show 'on the chopping block' after 17 seasons as program has 'not been doing well for a while'

RACHAEL Ray's daytime cooking show is at risk of cancelation after a decrease in viewership, according to insiders.

The celebrity chef has hosted the Food Network show since September of 2006.

5

5

But according to sources, season 17 might be the final run.

“Her show is ending. This will be the last season,” one industry insider revealed to PageSix.

“It hasn’t been doing well for a while. It’s easy to forget that it’s even on," a second source claimed.

However, show insiders have denied cancelation rumors, telling the outlet: “This talk comes up every year because the show is renewed yearly. In fact, they’re out there renewing the show right now. There’s never a decision until later in the spring."

Read more on Rachael Ray

Another show source added: “They wouldn’t announce renewal to the staff until maybe March. No one would even know about a renewal until then.”

Amid the speculation, an official representative for Rachael Ray told PageSix: “We have not canceled the show.”

DAYTIME SUCCESS

Despite the uneasiness surrounding the future of the cooking program, daytime TV newcomers Sherri Shepard and Jennifer Hudson have both been renewed through the 2024-2025 season.

In a press release, Sherri gushed: “I am so thrilled that ‘Sherri’ has been renewed… I launched this show with the mission to give daytime viewers a ‘good time,’ just like my theme song says.

Most read in Entertainment

“I am so appreciative that Fox and Debmar-Mercury have partnered with me to continue bringing more laughter, joy and inspiration to my audience."

STAFF BACKLASH

The uncertainty of Rachael Ray follows the 2020 scandal when her staff was left without "two-thirds of their scheduled" pay after a decision was made to continue filming from Rachael's home.

The coronavirus pandemic saw production in Manhattan shut down in March and Rachael chose to shoot the final episodes of the 2019/2020 season at her upstate New York home, with just her husband assisting her.

The staffers' union International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) alleged that their contracts meant show bosses needed to pay furloughed workers "all remote shoot days that had originally been planned for the studio."

TERRIFYING FIRE

The controversy arrives just two months after a huge fire ripped through Rachael's New York property.

The chef managed to flee the inferno with her husband John Cusimano and their dog Bella as it tore through their house in upstate New York.

Pictures showed flames bursting out of the roof of the mansion as firefighters arrived on the scene at around 7pm.

At least 12 fire crews were deployed to tackle the blaze on Sunday, August 9 as pictures showed the mansion surrounded in smoke.

A spokesperson for CBS said at the time: "When COVID-19 forced our studio production to shut down in March, we started shooting Rachael Ray at Rachael’s home out of necessity.

"As we moved into fall, with COVID cases increasing, we made the difficult decision to continue to shoot the show from Rachael’s home for the foreseeable future.

"Unfortunately, this new format has affected some valued studio crew, including IATSE members. CBS Television Distribution has continued to pay those affected through September and October, and we have reached out to IATSE to discuss mitigation efforts going forward."

Read More on The US Sun

5

5

5