ABC Axes Another Daytime Program: What Does This Mean For Soap Operas?

The Chew, the food/talk show that replaced All My Children in 2011, has been axed, says ABC. The airtime will be filled by Good Morning America (GMA), which is expanding to three hours starting in September.

ABC made the announcement that GMA will be adding a third hour of programming, which will air at 1 p.m. EDT, noon CDT/PDT.

The Chew aired for seven season, producing 1454 episodes, and received multiple Daytime Emmy nominations and two wins.

New episodes of The Chew will start airing in June through September.

“Over the past six years Good Morning America has solidified its place as America’s No. 1 morning show,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney|ABC Television.

“While this is the right decision for our business, it is also bittersweet. For seven years The Chew has delighted audiences by delivering innovative food segments in an entertaining atmosphere.”

“Before The Chew, no one had attempted a talk/food hybrid,” Gordon Elliot, the show’s creator, said in a statement. “Our hosts Clinton [Kelly], Carla [Hall] and Michael [Symon] and the staff created television history executing the show as well as they did for all these years.”

Recently, Hall appeared on General Hospital (GH) as Cook II, the longtime never-seen-but-always-heard-about Quartermaine chef.

Elliott was asked at a kickoff press event for The Chew if he felt that audiences might reject the show since it was replacing a beloved soap.

“Look, I understand completely how those viewers feel and I enjoyed those soaps for years too,” said Elliott. “We got them in Australia when I was a kid. But, you know, I don’t control the process that made that change.”

Since the announcement, social media has been abuzz with speculation that ABC could bring back both AMC and One Life to Live with half hour versions to replace The Chew, despite the news that GMA will add a third hour.

ABC once again owns the rights to those shows after a long legal dispute with Prospect Park studios. While the network has used some former ABC Daytime characters on GH, any word of reviving those shows is pure speculation.

Other fans felt vindicated as the show that replaced soaps they never wanted cancelled is gone now, as well.