'The Chew' Hosts Say Emotional Goodbye in Finale: 'This Has Been a Joy Every Day'
ABC served up its final helping of The Chew on Friday, and it was a bittersweet farewell for hosts Clinton Kelly, Michael Symon and Carla Hall.
Though new, pre-taped episodes of the daytime series will air through June 22 — with enhanced encores slated for the rest of the summer — Friday’s episode served as The Chew‘s series finale after ABC announced its cancellation on May 23. In its place, the Alphabet Net will start airing a third hour of Good Morning America in September.
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For the final, emotional hour, The Chew‘s hosts decided to interview one another instead of bringing out celebrity guests, giving them each a chance to reflect on their favorite moments from the series’ seven-season run.
Over a meal of Chinese food, pizza and ice cream from local eateries, Kelly, Symon and Hall reminisced on memorable interviews — Symon’s favorite celeb, somewhat surprisingly, was Snoop Dogg — and their experiences getting cast as Chew co-hosts, before wrapping things up with a final game of Food Pyramid.
“I’ve heard time and time again that this is not normal, to have two incredible hosts, and to work with an incredible crew,” Hall said through tears in the episode’s final moments. “We know that you always had our backs… We’re just the people kicking the ball in the goal. It takes a whole team to get the ball down the field.”
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Added Symon: “This is the most fun any of us have ever had doing television. It’s because of the crew that makes the show possible. And obviously, the reason we were able to be on for seven years and 1,500 shows is because all you fans watched every day… [It was] an unbelievably special seven-year run that was just really fantastic.”
Kelly closed with an emotional farewell of his own, saying, “I doubt that I’ll ever be able to replicate this experience professionally again. This has been a joy every day… I’m happy for the opportunity to work with you guys, to work with everybody else here and to come into your living rooms every day and entertain you and inspire you to try something new. It’s really meant a lot to me and to us, and I love you guys very, very much.”
Are you sad to see The Chew go? Drop a comment below with your thoughts on the series finale!
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