Forget 2015: Chelsea Handler’s last Chelsea Lately to air as E! hourlong special August 2014

Long live Chelsea Lately? Nope.

Chelsea Handler’s late-night chat show on E! will end its seven-year run on Aug. 26, 2014, with a live hourlong finale.

“I myself am more surprised than anyone that I was able to hold down a job for seven years, and it was a fantastic seven years,” said Handler in a prepared statement. “I will always look back at my time on E! as most people look back at their time in college. I’m glad I went.”

“We are very proud of Chelsea Lately’s long-running success and the unique space that the series carved out in latenight television,” said E! President Suzanne Kolb, also via prepared statement. “Chelsea brought a distinct voice to latenight with her acerbic wit and fearless commentary, and we look forward to providing fans with a memorable sendoff that lives up to that tradition. Most of all, we are grateful to the Chelsea Lately team for making this show so special for seven years.”

Handler publicly announced she was leaving her E! show behind when her contract ran out at the end of 2014, but also has been distancing herself in every interview on the subject.

Handler had built up a staunch fanbase, particularly among young women and gay male viewers. She also had the dubious distinction of being the only female host among the many other mostly white late-night TV comedy/variety/talk-show hosts.

She has yet to make known what her next gig will be.

Nor has E! defined what its late-night future will be without her.

For her part, Handler has met with CBS syndication reps, as well as the suits at Netflix and FX/FXX, among others. The Late Late Show on CBS also remains vacant as of January 2015.

E!, meanwhile, attempted to make a late-night talk show a couple of years back with Whitney Cummings, is developing one with Ross Mathews (Hello Ross) — both of which were/are executive produced by Handler — and just signed a new deal with Maria Menounos that includes an unspecified talk-show series.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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