In the summer of 2013, it was announced that the series would be tested on seven Fox-owned stations in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix, Houston and Tampa.[3][4][5] In October 2013, it was announced thatThe Real would be nationally syndicated beginning September 15, 2014.[6][7]
In February 2015, Warner Bros. announced the series had been renewed for a second season.[8] In October 2015, the series was renewed for a third and fourth season, allowing it to air through 2018.[9][10] The program switched to broadcasting live in its fourth season, allowing viewers "a seat at the table" starting September 2017.[11]
In January 2018, the series was renewed for a fifth and sixth season.[12][13] In November 2019, the series was renewed for a seventh and eighth season through the 2021–2022 television season.[14]
SallyAnn Salsano, who created the show,[2] was executive producer along with Rachel Miskowiec until 2015, when Miskowiec took over; In August 2021, Tenia Watson was announced as the new executive producer for the eighth season. The show is produced by 495 Productions andTelepictures Productions and distributed byWarner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.[15][16][17]
On April 8, 2022, it was reported thatThe Real had been cancelled and the eighth season would be its last. Production costs due to COVID-19 have been attributed to the show's cancellation.[18][19] The final episode aired on June 3.[20] Reruns from the final season ofThe Real aired until September 2.
The original panel ofThe Real comprised five co-hosts: actressTamera Mowry, television hostJeannie Mai, singer and television personalityTamar Braxton, actress and singerAdrienne Houghton and comedian and actressLoni Love.[5] Braxton announced her departure on May 22, 2016.[21][22][23] Throughout 2019, actress and comedianAmanda Seales served as a frequent guest co-host.[24] In January 2020, Seales became a permanent co-host during the series' sixth season.[25] The following June, Seales exited the series, citing her dissatisfaction with the inability to openly speak on recent social issues as a reason, along with a lack of minority executive staff within Telepictures.[26][27][28] The following month, Mowry-Housley announced her departure.[29] In August, actressGarcelle Beauvais was announced as a permanent addition to the panel for season 7.[30]
The Real celebrated its 100th episode on February 24, 2015. In January 2016, the co-hosts traveled toWashington, D.C. to visitThe White House and First LadyMichelle Obama. In addition to granting an interview, The First Lady and the co-hosts spoke to high schoolers about college.[31][32] On April 30, 2018,The Real held a celebratory episode following their win at the45th Daytime Emmy Awards one day before.[33] The series celebrated the airing of its 1,000th episode on February 17, 2020.[1]
^Bowe, Jillian (June 3, 2020)."WATCH: Amanda Seales ExitsThe Real".Daytime Confidential. United States:Confidential Media, Inc.Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020.Well you know what happened to me today – I have arrived because my contract is up atThe Real and I didn't renew it, because it doesn't feel good to my soul to be at a place where I can not, speak to my people the way they need to be spoken to. And where the people that are speaking to me in despairing ways are not being handled. I'm not at a space where as a full black woman I can have my voice and my co-workers also have their voices and where the people at the top are not respecting the necessity for black voices to be at the top too.
