Rodin Eckenroth for The Hollywood Reporter
Oprah Winfrey returns to the small screen on Monday to host an hour-long television program called “The Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution.” The new special comes after Winfrey exits the board of WeightWatchers, where she served for nearly a decade after taking a 10% stake in the company.
“I look forward to continuing to advise and collaborate with WeightWatchers and CEO Sima Al-Sistani in elevating the conversation about recognizing obesity as a chronic condition, working to reduce stigma, and advocating for health equity,” Winfrey said in a statement.
In December, Winfrey spoke to People magazine about her use of weight-loss medications, though she did not specify which medications she used.
Oprah Winfrey at the 2023 premiere of The Color Purple.
Gilbert Flores for variety
“The fact that there is a medically approved prescription to control weight and stay healthier, in my life, feels like a relief, like redemption, like a gift, not something to hide behind and be ridiculed again,” she told the magazine.
Learn more about Winfrey's upcoming special.
What's special about him?
Winfrey will be taped in front of a live studio audience, and will sit down with medical experts to discuss a variety of weight-loss medications including Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy.
Winfrey will be joined by Dr. W. Scott Butch of the Cleveland Clinic, ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Darren Sutton, and Dr. Amanda Velasquez of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Winfrey will also speak to patients from across the country about their experiences using weight-loss medications.
Questions addressed in the special include: Who are custom medicines really for? Who is eligible to receive weight loss medications? What are the short-term and long-term side effects?
“We are thrilled to work with Oprah and the voices she has brought together to open a dialogue that destigmatizes and educates viewers on the important and polarizing topic of weight loss,” Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, said in a statement. “I can think of no one better to lead this meaningful conversation about such a critical issue that touches all of our lives.”
What did Oprah say about him?
Oprah Winfrey at the NAACP Image Awards on March 16 in Los Angeles.
John Salangsang for Variety
“It is a deeply personal topic for me and the hundreds of millions of affected people around the world who have struggled for years with weight and obesity,” Oprah said in a statement. “This special will bring together medical experts, leaders in the field, and people in the everyday struggle to talk about health and obesity justice with the goal of ultimately eliminating the shame, judgment, and stigma surrounding weight.”
Where will it air?
Oprah's Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution airs Monday, March 18 at 8 pm ET on ABC.
Is it available to stream?
“Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution” will be available to stream on Hulu starting March 19.
