AceShowbiz - Access Hollywood has been canceled by NBCUniversal, marking the end of a long-running celebrity news program that debuted in September 1996. The announcement was made on March 13, 2026, alongside the cancelation of several other syndicated shows, including Access Live, Karamo, and The Steve Wilkos Show. Despite the decision, production on Access Hollywood will continue through the summer of 2026.

The cancelation has left fans both surprised and upset, as the show appeared to maintain a strong presence in the entertainment news landscape. This news follows shortly after Kelly Clarkson’s announcement that she would step down from hosting her daytime NBC talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, indicating broader shifts within NBCUniversal's daytime programming lineup.

Frances Berwick, Chairman of Bravo & Peacock unscripted for NBCUniversal, explained that the company is restructuring its first-run syndication division to better match the programming preferences of local stations. According to Berwick, NBCUniversal will continue to distribute its existing program library and other off-network titles while winding down production of new first-run shows like Access Hollywood.

This decision reflects ongoing challenges faced by television networks, particularly in daytime programming. Multiple talk shows have been canceled recently, and even late-night television has experienced cutbacks, exemplified by CBS’s reduction of Stephen Colbert’s show, which will air its final episode in May 2026.

As for the hosts of Access Hollywood, Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans, and Zuri Hall have not yet commented publicly on the cancelation. Their future plans remain unknown, but they are expected to continue working on the program until production concludes later this year.

While the end of Access Hollywood marks a significant change for NBCUniversal’s syndicated offerings, the company emphasizes pride in the program’s long-standing contribution to entertainment news and talk content over nearly three decades.