'The Jennifer Hudson Show' will debut on Sept. 12.
Jennifer Hudson is kicking off her daytime talk show with a blast from the past! On Friday, it was announced that the EGOT winner will reunite with former American Idol judge Simon Cowell on the series premiere of The Jennifer Hudson Show. The reunion will be the pair's first sit-down conversation since she placed seventh on season 3 of the singing competition series in 2004.
Last month, Hudson told Dallas station KERA-TV that Cowell would be her dream guest, saying that it would be "awesome" to reunite with the Idol judge who helped her get her start.
"I think it would be so interesting," she explained. "Idol was 18 years ago so why not? I think people will be interested who've followed my journey for 20 years. See us sit down and see us have a conversation. I think that would be awesome to do."
"And then it's like, uh-huh! Now Simon, you're sitting on my couch!" she added. "So he's on my wish list, among many others."
Hudson also celebrates her 41st birthday on Sept. 12, the day of the show’s premiere. To mark the occasion, the episode will be filled with celebratory moments and big surprises.
The Jennifer Hudson Show will feature celebrity interviews, topical stories, community heroes, viral sensations, and music. In previously released promos for the series, Hudson promised fans that they'd get "quality, you’re going to get honesty, you’re going to get all of my heart, and don’t forget the fun."
"We all have a story to tell. We all want to find our light and let it shine," she said in a preview. "So let's come together to laugh out loud, to share some hope and joy, and go back to connecting with each other—all on my new show."
"I've lived a lot of life and I'm still here. Now it's time to sit down and have some fun, I want to talk to somebody," Hudson added.
The Daytime Emmy-winning team behind The Ellen DeGeneres Show -- Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner and Corey Palent -- have signed on as executive producers and showrunners. Hudson, Lisa Kasteler Calio, Graehme Morphy and Walter Williams III will also executive produce, while Red Table Talk's Shani Black will serve as co-executive producer.
When the series pick-up was announced in March, Hudson shared her joy at the news in a statement, saying that she has "experienced so much in my life; I’ve seen the highest of the highs, the lowest of the lows, and just about everything in between but as my mother always told me, 'Once you think you've seen it all, just keep on living.'"
"People from around the world have been a part of my journey from the beginning – twenty years ago – and I'm so ready to join their journey as we sit down and talk about the things that inspire and move us all," she added. "I have always loved people and I cannot wait to connect on a deeper level and let audiences see the different sides of who I am, the human being, in return. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to do it alongside this incredible team. We’re about to have a lot of fun and shake things up a little bit!"
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