Apple TV+ has reportedly decided against renewing a multi-year deal with Oprah Winfrey, instead deciding to work on a project-by-project basis from here on out.
The news brings to an end a partnership that was at the heart of the Apple TV+ product right from the beginning, when the streamer was looking for ways to prove its legitimacy in a brand new market. Now that work's done, the deal with Winfrey is said to be changing.
Job done
When Apple first announced Apple TV+ it was Oprah Winfrey that was put front and center as an indication that the company meant business. But now Puck reports that the deal signed in 2018 is coming to an end and that Apple isn't set to renew. Puck notes that "the writing’s been on the wall for this one."
The report goes on to note that "rumblings that [Apple TV+ programmers Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht] are disappointed with Oprah’s output for the streamer." That amid ongoing work that Oprah is doing with other companies, all allowed as part of the deal struck with Apple five years ago. She did put plenty of content onto Apple TV+, though, including working on the new Sidney documentary.
While Oprah wasn't the only big-name star that appeared on stage when Apple TV+ was first announced — the roll call was long and included Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and others — she was undoubtedly the one that Apple leaned on the most. She famously pointed to the fact that Apple was "in a billion pockets," perhaps alluding to why so many stars were keen to join projects for a brand new streamer in space dominated by the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The Puck reports by saying that this isn't the end of Oprah on Apple TV+ with the streamer set to "work with Oprah on a project-by-project basis."
