Arsenio Hall released a statement this week regarding the cancellation of his show, which has officially been dropped after just one season despite CBS renewing it in February. The network cited a lack of audience growth, and Hall himself noted that they knew in the beginning that the road would be long and difficult.
“When I started this adventure with CTD and Tribune, we all knew it would be a challenge — I’m gratified for the year we’ve had and proud of the show we created. I’d like to thank everyone on my staff for rallying around me and striving to make the best show possible every night,” he said.
Hall and CBS were trying to build upon the success he’d found in 1989 with his first late-night talk show, which blew up into a huge ratings boom until 1994, when he faced stiff competition from Letterman and Leno. These days, the competition is much bigger, with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers all vying for the top position.
“Arsenio is a tremendous talent and we’d like to thank him for all the hard work and energy he put into the show. We’d also like to thank Tribune and all our station group partners for their support of the show,” CBSTVD said in a statement.
“The Arsenio Hall” show aired the final episode last week; Hall has not said what he plans to do next.