Multiple award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson is pitching a new daytime TV talk show that could replace The Ellen DeGeneres Show, when the comedian steps down sooner than later, according to Variety.
Hudson, fresh off her role as Aretha Franklin in the recent hit movie Respect, is known for her Oscar-winning role in the film Dreamgirls, as well as her giant voice and stints on the popular competition show The Voice. She also starred as a contestant on American Idol.
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According to Variety, Hudson’s pitch includes the production team that is currently working on Ellen. The news outlet writes: “[Hudson’s] show wouldn’t be a continuation of the ‘Ellen’ deals and is being shopped as an entirely new series.”
“It’s understood that Warner Bros. did a deep dive to identify a marquee star to fill the ‘Ellen’ void, and after talking to around 30 people, it was clear Hudson was interested and the obvious choice,” Variety adds. “The prolific star already has experience in the unscripted space beyond ‘Idol’: She served as a coach on both the U.S. and U.K. versions of ‘The Voice,’ which relies a great deal on personality.”
In fact, Hudson is a recent award-winner when it comes to daytime TV. She won a Daytime Emmy award in 2021 for interactive media for Oculus Quest’s “Baba Yaga,” which Hudson executive produced.
If Hudson gets her show, she will be the second Idol and The Voice alum to host daytime TV. Her former colleague, Kelly Clarkson, also hosts the popular show The Kelly Clarkson Show, which currently airs before Ellen.
Photo by Shahar Azran/Getty Images
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