NBC Pulls Plug On Long-Running TV Show ‘Access Hollywood’

A familiar fixture of entertainment television is preparing to take its final bow.

The long-running celebrity news program “Access Hollywood” is ending its run after three decades on the air as NBCUniversal restructures its syndication strategy.

NBCUniversal confirmed the cancellation as part of a broader move to phase out first-run syndicated programming. The decision will also affect several other daytime television programs.

“Access Hollywood,” which debuted in 1996 as a competitor to “Entertainment Tonight,” has spent nearly 30 years covering celebrity news, red carpets, film premieres and television events.

NBCUniversal plans to wind down production of the show in September 2026 as part of a shift in its distribution strategy, according to Variety. 

The move will also impact several other shows produced by NBCUniversal’s syndication division. The changes include the cancellation of “Access Daily” as well as daytime talk programs “Karamo” and “The Steve Wilkos Show,” both of which are produced at NBCU’s Stamford Studios facility in Stamford, Connecticut, The Hollywood Reporter said.

“Access Hollywood” is currently hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans and Zuri Hall.

NBCUniversal said the changes reflect a shift in how local stations are choosing their programming.

“NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations,” said Frances Berwick, chairman of Bravo & Peacock unscripted for NBCUniversal, in a statement reported by The Hollywood Reporter. “The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows.

“These shows have provided audiences with great talk and entertainment content for many years and we’re very proud of the teams behind them.”