Steve Harvey is returning to the talk show ranks, this time on Facebook Watch.
The comedian and TV host will launch Steve on Watch on Jan. 6 on the social-media giant’s streaming platform. The show is a continuation of Steve, the syndicated talker that was canceled earlier this year.
Like its broadcast predecessor, the Facebook Watch show is owned by Harvey and Endeavor Content; the latter’s unscripted and branded content arm, Film 45, will produce with Harvey’s East 112. Dr. Phil and The Queen Latifah Show veteran Ianthe Jones is the executive producer.
“Reaching my audience anywhere and everywhere they are has always been the goal,” Harvey said Tuesday in a statement. “Facebook Watch viewers are the most energetic, engaged community, and so are my amazing fans. Getting all those people to directly engage on a platform like this is the perfect evolution of the show.”
Harvey already has a big audience on Facebook, with more than 11 million followers. In the past year, 35 videos on Harvey’s page garnered at least 10 million views, and his page was visited more than 2 billion times, according to data from Facebook and Harvey’s company.
Harvey hosted The Steve Harvey Show, produced by EndemolShine North America and NBCUniversal, from 2012-17. Steve debuted in 2017 with NBC-owned stations as the flagship station group (as it had been for the previous show). NBCU opted not to pick up the show for 2019-20, replacing it with the company-owned Kelly Clarkson Show, which has performed well so far this season and earned a renewal.
Steve on Watch will feature Harvey discussing his thoughts on the issues of the day and interviews with celebrities, musicians and others. The initial run will be 10 weeks, with multiple segments per week; Harvey taped shows in Atlanta earlier this month.
Harvey and East 112 are repped by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.
Variety first reported the news.
