What Happened to E! Entertainment Television?
E! Entertainment Television, a long-standing cable network focused on pop culture and celebrity news, underwent a significant transformation in 2025-2026. Its flagship linear television program, "E! News," concluded its 34-year run in September 2025, as the network shifted its focus to digital-first entertainment reporting and continued its popular red-carpet coverage. E! is now part of Versant, a new media company spun off from Comcast's NBCUniversal assets in 2026.
Quick Answer
E! Entertainment Television has transitioned its core news operations from linear television to digital platforms, with its iconic "E! News" program airing its final broadcast episode in September 2025. The network itself, now owned by Versant following a 2026 spin-off from Comcast's NBCUniversal, continues to broadcast reality programming, movies, and high-profile red-carpet events. This strategic pivot reflects a broader industry trend towards on-demand and social media consumption of entertainment news.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Launched as Movietime
The channel debuted as Movietime, focusing on movie trailers, entertainment news, and event coverage.
Rebranded as E!: Entertainment Television
Movietime was relaunched as E! to broaden its scope to include celebrity culture, contemporary film, television, music, and fashion.
E! News Launched
The flagship nightly entertainment news program, "E! News," began its run, becoming a staple for celebrity coverage.
Comcast and Disney/ABC Acquire E!
Comcast, a minority partner, teamed up with Disney/ABC Cable Networks to acquire the channel from Time Warner.
Comcast Gains Full Ownership
Comcast acquired Disney's 39.5% share of E! for $1.23 billion, gaining full ownership of the network.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians Premieres
The reality series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" debuted, becoming a massive success and a major franchise for the network.
Becomes Part of NBCUniversal
Comcast Entertainment Group, including E!, became a division of the NBCUniversal Television Group after Comcast acquired a majority stake in NBCUniversal from General Electric.
E! News Canceled Amid Pandemic (Temporary)
E! canceled its New York-based shows, including "E! News," as part of broader NBCUniversal cuts due to the pandemic, though the news website continued.
E! News Revived as Late-Night Program
After a two-year hiatus, "E! News" returned to the E! network as a late-night entertainment news program.
Comcast Spins Off E! to Versant
Comcast's board approved the separation of most of its cable television networks, including E!, into a new independent company called Versant Media Group.
E! News Linear TV Cancellation Announced
E! announced that its flagship nightly entertainment news broadcast, "E! News," would air its final linear television episode on September 25, 2025, shifting to a digital-only format.
Final Linear Broadcast of E! News
The long-running nightly entertainment news program "E! News" aired its final episode on linear television.
New Programming for 2025-2026 Season
E! announced new series for its 2025-2026 TV season, including "Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane," which premiered in December.
Critics Choice Awards Airs on E!
E! continued its tradition of broadcasting major awards shows by airing the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards live.
E! Airs EE BAFTA Film Awards
E! aired the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards, hosted by Alan Cumming, demonstrating its continued commitment to major event coverage.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
E! Entertainment Television, initially launched as Movietime in 1987, rebranded in 1990 to focus on a wider spectrum of celebrity culture, film, television, music, and fashion. Over its history, ownership evolved from a consortium of cable providers to full ownership by Comcast in 2006, then becoming part of NBCUniversal in 2011 after Comcast acquired a majority stake from General Electric.
The network gained significant prominence through shows like "E! True Hollywood Story," "Fashion Police," and especially "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," which became a major franchise. However, like many traditional cable channels, E! faced declining linear television viewership in the 2010s and 2020s. Its peak reach of 99 million US households in 2011 dropped to approximately 71 million by November 2023.
A key turning point occurred in 2025 with a major corporate restructuring. Comcast spun off most of its NBCUniversal cable TV assets, including E!, into a new independent, publicly traded company named Versant. This move was reportedly to prevent mature cable businesses from negatively impacting Comcast's stock price.
Coinciding with this organizational change, E! announced the cancellation of its long-running nightly news program, "E! News," which aired its final linear television episode on September 25, 2025, after 34 years on air. The decision was driven by a strategic shift to prioritize digital platforms and real-time social coverage, acknowledging that audiences increasingly engage with entertainment news through websites, social media channels, and digital shows. While the linear show ended, the "E! News" brand continues to exist in the digital space.
As of May 2026, E! continues to broadcast original programming and acquired content. For the 2025-2026 TV season, it announced new reality series such as "Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane," "Plastic Surgery Rewind," "Dirty Rotten Scandals," and "Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour." The network also maintains its strong presence in live event coverage, particularly with its "Live From E!" red-carpet specials for major awards shows like the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and the EE BAFTA Film Awards. E! was watched by an average of 181,000 people during primetime as of April 12, 2026, indicating its continued, albeit smaller, presence in the linear TV landscape. The overall trend in 2026 shows a continued shift towards streaming and digital consumption across the television industry.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if E! Entertainment Television made different choices?