Rachael Ray’s cooking, talk and lifestyle show, “Rachael Ray,” debuted on September 18, 2006. Now, after 17 years on the air, Ray has decided that it’s time for the show to end so she can focus on the “next exciting chapter” in her life.

Ray announced the news that her show would be ending in a press release from CBS. She explained, “In my more than 20 plus years in television I have had 17 wonderful seasons working in daytime television with ‘Rachael.’ However I’ve made the decision that’s it’s time for me to move on to the next exciting chapter in my broadcast career.” She added, “My passions have evolved from the talk show format production and syndication model to a platform unencumbered by the traditional rules of distribution.  I am truly excited to be able to introduce and develop new and upcoming epicurean talent on all platforms. That is why I am looking forward to putting all my energies into my recently announced production arm, Free Food Studios.”

President of CBS Media Ventures, Steve LoCascio, praised Ray’s show saying, “When Rachael debuted her show 17 years ago, she was a gamechanger in the daytime space. She made cooking accessible to the masses, taught viewers simple solutions on how to improve their lives and coaxed great stories out of celebrity guests with her relatable down-to-earth demeanor.” He added, “We’re proud to have produced such a successful show with Rachael and her team for so many years. We’ll miss Rachael on the air every day, but we’ll always be family.”

The current season of Ray’s show will be the last. Then, she will focus on Free Food Studios, her own production company, which will focus on “in the kitchen content” and “development of new and upcoming epiruean talent.”

Ray’s show has been nominated for 37 Daytime Emmys and has won Outstanding Talk Show three times. In May 2023, she will be inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.