Martha Stewart, a household name synonymous with American homemaking, has navigated her fair share of professional turbulence, extending far beyond a burnt casserole or a less-than-perfect craft project. Among these significant challenges was the eventual cancellation of her long-running television program, “The Martha Stewart Show.”
Stewart’s initial foray into television began in 1993 with “Martha Stewart Living,” a show that captivated audiences until its conclusion in 2004. During the latter years of this program, Stewart faced a significant personal and professional crisis. She was convicted of securities fraud and obstruction of justice, leading to a five-month prison sentence followed by five months of house arrest. This period of incarceration necessitated a temporary hiatus from her career, effectively bringing “Martha Stewart Living” to an end. At the time, Stewart expressed her regret in a statement, saying, “I am deeply sorry that it has become necessary for the show to go on hiatus until my personal legal situation is resolved. I hope to resume our close collaboration just as soon as I am able to do so.”
True to her word, Stewart made a remarkable comeback. By 2005, she was back on the air with a new iteration of her show, rebranded as “The Martha Stewart Show.” This program eventually found a dedicated home exclusively on the Hallmark Channel. However, this new chapter in her television career proved to be shorter-lived than many might have anticipated.
A Brief Stint on the Hallmark Channel
In late 2010, approximately five years after her return to the public eye following her legal troubles, Martha Stewart’s self-titled show premiered on the Hallmark Channel. As reported by The New York Times, Hallmark dedicated a significant portion of its programming to Stewart, airing at least eight hours of her content per day, five days a week. This strategic move was seen as a substantial shift for the network. David Bank, a managing director at RBC Capital, commented at the time, “[Hallmark is] no longer the ‘Little House’ rerun channel. It’s the Martha channel, and that’s a lot more valuable.”
“The Martha Stewart Show” successfully blended educational content with entertainment, frequently featuring esteemed chefs and celebrity guests. It was during this period that audiences witnessed the beginnings of an unexpected but memorable friendship between Stewart and Snoop Dogg, which debuted in one of the show’s episodes. Despite its engaging format and notable guests, this wasn’t enough to secure its continued presence on the Hallmark Channel’s lineup.
By early 2012, both the network and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia began to signal that the show’s run might be nearing its end. In a joint statement, they announced that “The Martha Stewart Show” would continue to air through the summer. Shortly thereafter, sources confirmed to The New York Post that new episodes would cease production after April of that year.
Reasons for the Cancellation
Several factors contributed to the show’s departure from the Hallmark Channel. Lisa Gersh, the president and COO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, had previously acknowledged that the production costs for “The Martha Stewart Show” were prohibitively high. The company indicated a need to explore less expensive filming locations. Furthermore, low viewership ratings played a significant role in the decision. Nielsen data revealed that in 2011, the show averaged a mere 225,000 viewers per episode, a number deemed insufficient for the network’s objectives.
A Swift Transition to PBS
Martha Stewart’s exit from the Hallmark Channel did not leave her without television opportunities for long. A representative for the network confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that singer Marie Osmond would be taking over Stewart’s time slot. (Ironically, Osmond’s show also experienced a relatively brief run before its own cancellation.)
Stewart, however, was quick to pivot. In April 2012, she took to Twitter to announce her next television venture: “‘Martha Stewart’s Cooking School’ to air this fall on @PBS.” She followed up with another tweet, seemingly taking a subtle jab at her former network, stating, “The response to our announcement for a PBS cooking school series is wonderful. Easy access to PBS as opposed to Hallmark will be wonderful.”
“Martha Stewart’s Cooking School,” a program focused on imparting fundamental cooking techniques to viewers, aired on PBS for five seasons, concluding in 2017. Stewart’s collaboration with PBS extended beyond this series, as she also produced the shows “Martha Bakes” and “Everyday Food” for the public broadcasting network.
Now in her 80s, the renowned entrepreneur and DIY icon continues to maintain a robust schedule, demonstrating that television cancellations are merely temporary setbacks in her enduring career. In a May 2023 interview with WFAA, Stewart expressed her ongoing productivity, stating, “We have many shows being produced for this year on gardening, on cooking, and on entertaining, and they’re fabulous.” Her continued success underscores her resilience and enduring appeal in the media landscape.
