'Dancing With the Stars': Ricki Lake Compares New Talk Show to Vintage 'Oprah' (Video)

"We're going to be talking about all the issues that we talked about on my old show," Ricki tells THR, "but [it's] the evolved, upgraded version. Think old 'Oprah.'"

5:00 AM PST 11/22/2011 by Michael O'Connell

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Ricki Lake won't have much downtime after her tenure on Dancing With the Stars comes to an end on Tuesday.

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Win or lose, the actress and seasoned television personality has lined up a new full-time job for 2012. She's returning to TV for the first time since 2004, taking on a new talk show after the 11-year run of Ricki Lake.

"I feel like I've already won," Ricki told The Hollywood Reporter after Monday's show. "I'm grateful that I was able to reintroduce myself to the viewers who watched me all those years. I'm back, I'm better than ever, and I plan on doing a great show starting September of next year."

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The Ricki Lake Show, a new syndicated daily series, won't be like it's predecessor, though. Ricki says her subject matter has matured with her.

"I'm different," she said. "I started my old show when I was 24 years old. I'm now 43, I'm a mother with two sons... We're going to be talking about all the issues that we talked about in my old show, but [it's] the evolved, upgraded version. Think old 'Oprah.'"

That's Oprah Winfrey before the book club and favorite things -- not a senior version of the recently retired talk show host.

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And while Ricki says she's already won, a new show isn't her only prize from her time on Dancing With the Stars. She showed off her slim figure during Monday's freestyle, announcing she's dropped a few more sizes.

"I'll be free for the first time since August 22," she said of the post-finale trip to New York. "I'm going to go shopping and get new jeans, because my size 6 jeans are falling off. I'm really excited to see what I look like in regular clothes and how small I've gotten it."

For more from Ricki and partner Derek Hough, watch the complete interview above.