America Will Continue to Get Its Oprah Fix, At Least Until 2011

The reigning queen of daytime talk, Oprah Winfrey, has agreed to continue "The Oprah Winfrey Show," through 2011, according to an announcement made Thursday by the shows producers and distributors.

Oprah had previously signed a deal to extend her show until 2008. The new contract will extend the life of the show for an additional three years, and increase the output of episodes per year from 130 to 140, before dropping back down to 130 for its final season. In its final year, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will also celebrate its 25th year in syndication. The show originally went on the air in Chicago, in 1984, and after being re-vamped and given a new title, went national in 1986.

Both the show and its charismatic and business savvy host, have been hugely successful since then. "The Oprah Winfrey Show" has earned a total of 38 Emmy Awards and continues to be one of daytime's top-rated talk shows. Oprah, herself, has become a full-fledged media mogul, venturing into everything from her own magazine to real estate. She also recently invested in a small, fledgling Central California Cafe that was in danger of closing, until Oprah was so impressed with her lunch that she decided to send the owner a check for an undisclosed amount, so she could stay in business. Oprah was also named, by Forbes magazine, as one of the richest people in the world with her fortune totaling 1.1 billion to date.

The talk show host said the idea of continuing the show that made her a household name into its 25th year was "both exhilarating and challenging."