CHICAGO — A teary Oprah Winfrey officially announced the end of her popular television talk show Friday.
Winfrey, 55, became emotional as she told her fans that bowing out after 25 years "feels right."
"So here we are, halfway through the season 24. And it still means as much to me to spend an hour everyday with you as it did in 1986," she said. "So why walk away and make next season the last? Here is the real reason. I love this show. This show has been my life. And I love it enough to know when it's time to say goodbye. 25 years feels right in my bones and it feels right in my spirit. It's the perfect number, the exact right time."
Winfrey informed staffers of her decision during a company meeting on Thursday afternoon.
Her final show will air on Sept. 9, 2011.
Winfrey is expected to shift her focus to OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, which is expected to debut in early 2011. She announced the forthcoming cable channel, which is a joint collaboration with Discovery Communications, in January 2008.
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[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5o5ENK-jvM&feature=related]
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