Oprah Winfrey has spoken openly about her decision to leave the WeightWatchers board of directors.
The media mogul, 70, appeared on a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel livewhere he revealed that he has resigned from his position on the WeightWatchers board of directors, after almost a decade, due to his upcoming special on prescription weight loss drugs.
“I decided that, because this special was really important to me and I wanted to be able to talk about whatever I wanted to talk about, and WeightWatchers is now dedicated to being a weight health company that also administers weight medications. “Winfrey said. “I didn't want to give the impression of any conflict of interest.”
The former talk show host admitted that she resigned from the board of directors as a result of her upcoming television special, titled “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution,” which airs March 18 on ABC. She subsequently donated all of her shares in the company to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“So no one can say, 'Oh, she's doing that special.' She is making money and promoting. No. You can't say that,” Winfrey stressed. When Kimmel asked the longtime WeightWatchers spokesperson if she cried when she announced her resignation, the film producer joked, “They almost did.”
In February, Winfrey announced that she would be stepping down from her position on the WeightWatchers board of directors. The Oscar winner first became involved with the company when she used its weight loss program for herself, before taking a significant stake and becoming a member of the board of directors in 2015. In her statement, Winfrey noted that she would remain involved in the message behind WeightWatchers. .
“I look forward to continuing to advise and collaborate with WeightWatchers and CEO Sima Sistani to advance the conversation around recognizing obesity as a chronic disease, working to reduce stigma and advocating for health equity,” she said.
“Weight health is a vitally important issue that needs to be addressed on a broader scale. “I plan to participate in a series of public forums and events where I will be a strong advocate for moving this conversation forward,” Winfrey added.
The announcement came just months after the billionaire revealed she was using prescription medications to lose weight. While Winfrey did not name the brand of the weight-loss drug, he still praised the drug for allowing him to live a healthier lifestyle amid scrutiny over his weight that spanned his entire career.
Speaking to Kimmel, Winfrey explained that she initially felt inspired to lose weight without the use of weight-loss medications after undergoing rehab following her knee surgery in 2021. However, doctors told the OWN founder that “obesity is a disease” and your weight will always fluctuate.
“I have been in the storm of losing weight and gaining it back. Losing weight, gaining it back and what I realized when I heard what the doctor said, that you're always going to put it back on, and it's like holding your breath underwater and trying not to get up,” he explained.
Prescription medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have recently gained popularity for their off-label weight loss side effects. Ozempic is a weekly injection used to treat type 2 diabetes and works by mimicking a hormone to regulate appetite and create a feeling of satiety. Wegovy is another semaglutide injection approved specifically for the treatment of obesity and weight loss, while Mounjaro is the first diabetes drug to target a second hormone, GIP.
Winfrey's special, “Shame, Guilt, and the Weight Loss Revolution,” will discuss the impact of prescription weight-loss medications, as well as questions and concerns surrounding the popular semaglutide, or glucagon-like peptide 1, injections. (GLP-1). The special airs Monday, March 18 at 8 pm ET on ABC.
