In an Instagram post published Tuesday, Kim Kardashian-West announced that the reality TV show that arguably launched her career, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, will be coming to an end, with its last season airing in 2021.
Addressing her fans and the millions of viewers who have tuned into her show for the past two decades, Kardashian-West stated, “After what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spin-off shows, we are beyond grateful to all of you who’ve watched us for all of these years – through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children. We’ll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we’ve met along the way,” while also paying special mention of the network and production teams that assisted her show’s development.
The reality show first aired in 2007 and came on the heels of the success of Paris Hilton‘sseries, The Simple Life, which Kardashian-West had made many appearances on due to being an assistant and close friend of Hilton’s at the time. Kardashian-West’s mother, Kris Jenner, ex-wife of Robert Kardashian Sr., an attorney on the O. J. Simpson case, initially thought of the idea for the show and pitched it to Ryan Seacrest‘s production company.
The show’s premise had each member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan— Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian,Robert Kardashian Jr., Caitlyn Jenner, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner— followed as they interacted with high-profile celebrities and went about their business dealings. The series significantly boosted the profiles of Kardashian-West’s sisters, who went onto have their own series that focused on them and their ever-growing families. Kanye West, in stark contrast, married Kardashian-West in 2014 but chose to limit his and his own children’s appearances on the show so as not to publicize too much familial drama, much unlike with Kardashian-West’s previous relationship with former husband, Kris Humphries.
Though the show was a winner of many accolades, it did little to stifle the behind-the-scenes drama. An anonymous source told The Sun, “The family has been locked in an ongoing debate over the future of the show for months now. Kim has all the drama with Kanye West going on—he’s refusing to put anything personal on the show, and it’s increasingly difficult for Kim to find time to film the show. Kylie is making billions of dollars through her makeup line and product endorsements—she doesn’t need the show, and like Kendall, has always struggled with fame and being in the spotlight. Filming the show meant having to be in LA with her family—now she’s free to fly off on holiday or follow Travis Scott on his next tour.”
Keeping Up with the Kardashians will air season 19 on September 17 of this year while season 20’s release date has yet to be announced.
