This is the end of “Sherry”.
Sherri Shepherd’s daytime talk show of the same name has not been renewed for a fifth season, and industry insiders say production company Debmar Mercury is partly to blame.
Shepard stepped in to replace “The Wendy Williams Show” during Williams’ turbulent exit from television. But sources claim the production company “didn’t fully understand” Shepard.
“They never supported her[fully],” a source claimed to Page Six.
Shepherd’s first season premiered in 2022, and the former “The View” co-host has racked up a string of A-list guests, including Oprah Winfrey and Michael B. Jordan. It also suffered from budget cuts and often had to exhaust its resources, officials said.
In 2024, multiple sources complained to Page Six staff members about petty cash issues, claiming the show was behind on back rentals at Chelsea Studios.
At that time, we learned that the remaining “Wendy” production manager was under investigation for allegedly mishandling the show’s budget. Later, during the investigation, he died in an apparent suicide.
On Monday, Debmar co-presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus officially announced that the show will end after four seasons.
“This decision was driven by the evolving landscape of daytime television and is not a reflection on the strength of the show, its production, which had strong creative momentum this season, or the incredibly talented Sherri Shepherd,” they said in a statement to the Post.
Staff were shocked and devastated by the news, especially since “Shelly” seemed to be on a winning streak, having secured blockbuster bookings from the likes of Michelle Obama and 50 Cent. I’ve heard that the entire staff worked hard for Shepard, as she created the atmosphere of the show’s theme song, “Have a good time.”
A source said, “All the guests went home satisfied.”
Unfortunately, Shepard hasn’t been feeling well this week. On Tuesday, she announced that she had contracted the coronavirus while thanking her supporters.
“Wow! Completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for me and @sherrishowtv,” she wrote.
“Yesterday and today you may have noticed that I was having a hard time getting up to speed. Well, it turns out I have COVID-19,” the “30 Rock” star continued. “As soon as I feel better and return to the show, I will address all the news that comes out. Until then, I am truly grateful to SHERRI for having such an impact on you all. See you soon.”
Debmar Mercury has worked on “Tyler Perry’s House of Pain” and “The Nick Cannon Show,” among others.
Representatives for Debmar and “Shelly” could not be reached.
