E! announced on Wednesday that it was ending the influential clip show "The Soup" after an impressive 22 years which also means the end for Joel McHale's 12-year tenure as host on December 18.
According to EW, McHale reinvigorated the show with his withering one-liners that were directed even at the network's other stars such as the Kardashians. The show on the other hand is known to have mocked absurd moments in TV and pop culture during its entire run.
The show premiered in 1991 as Talk Soup and is famous for launching the career of its original host Greg Kinnear reports Deadline. He remained as host until 1995 and was succeeded by John Henson (1995-99), Hal Sparks (1999-2000) and Aisha Tyler (2001-02).
It stopped airing in 2002 but was re-launched as "The Soup" with Joel McHale as its host. The series earned a 2014 Emmy nomination for OutstandingShort-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program.
"We are incredibly proud of the long-running success of The Soup," said E! EVP of Programming & Development Jeff Olde in a statement regarding the cancellation. "The Soup has delivered countless laughs and unforgettable episodes, and we are grateful to the talented team's fearless wit and clever approach week after week. Joel took the show to new heights for more than a decade, and his irreverent humor and unique brand of comedy as captured so perfectly on The Soup will be missed."
"I loved doing 'The Soup' for all of these years - 86 to be exact - but am excited to solely focus on my acting career now," McHale says according to Variety. "Thanks to all who watched, and thanks to Kim Kardashian's ass for all that it's done for me and my family."
Wednesday's cancellation announcement came after McHale signed an extension deal with E! last year for him to remain at the helm of "The Soup" until 2016. The deal also called for the entertainment network to have first-look rights to non-scripted series developed by McHales's production company, Free Period Productions.
McHale has seen his career rose to great heights over the years. He had a key role in Community and has established himself as host even beyond Hollywood events such as ESPYs, the Spirit Awards and the White House Correspondents' Dinner. He will next appear as a guest in the Fox Network The X-Files reboot.
New "The Soup" episodes will air Fridays leading up to the finale on December 18. The episodes will feature McHale looking back on the shows most memorable and iconic moments like Chicken Tetrazzini and Dunkadooball from the past 22 years.
Join the Conversation