Is “Sesame Street” Ending? What We Know About the Beloved Series' Future After 55 Years on Air

After being a staple on children's television for nearly six decades, the fate of Sesame Street is up in the air.

In December 2024, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Warner Bros. Discovery did not renew its agreement to help finance the production of or air new episodes of Sesame Street on its streaming platform, Max. Per the outlet, Max — which has been Sesame Street's home since 2016 — is shifting its programming strategy to focus on adult and family content.

“It has been a wonderful, creative experience working with everyone at Sesame Street on the iconic children’s series and we are thrilled to be able to keep some of the library series on Max in the U.S.,” a spokesperson for the streaming service told the publication.

Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and the Cookie Monster first debuted on the small screen in 1969. Every year since the Sesame Street characters have found new and fun ways to educate young children about everything from letters and numbers to practicing good hygiene and eating healthy.

The 55th season of the beloved children's show will premiere on Max in January 2025 as planned and the streaming platform will continue to offer a selection of the Sesame Street library through 2027. Beyond that, however, Sesame Street's future remains unclear.

So, is Sesame Street ending? Here's everything to know about what's next for the muppet characters and why Max ended its contract with the beloved children's show.

Is Sesame Street ending?

It's unclear if Sesame Street will end after 55 years. The show's producer, Sesame Workshop, has yet to ink a new programming deal with another streaming service after Max opted not to renew their contract with the show.

However, a spokesperson seemingly assured The Hollywood Reporter that Big Bird and his friends have a bright future.

“We will continue to invest in our best-in-class programming and look forward to announcing our new distribution plans in the coming months, ensuring that Sesame Street reaches as many children as possible for generations to come," a spokesperson for Sesame Workshop said.

Back in October 2023, the outlet also reported that viewers will see a "reimagined" Sesame Street starting with season 56. The brand-new format will feature an animated series, Tales From 123, bookended by two 11-minute story segments.

Why is Max not renewing its deal with Sesame Street?

Max did not renew its deal with Sesame Street in an effort to put their resources toward adult and family programming, such as its upcoming Harry Potter series.

According to a spokesperson for the streaming service, the new strategy is "based on consumer usage and feedback," per The Hollywood Reporter.

“As we’ve launched Max though and based on consumer usage and feedback, we’ve had to prioritize our focus on stories for adults and families, and so new episodes from Sesame Street, at this time, are not as core to our strategy," the spokesperson explained.

Where can I watch Sesame Street?

A portion of the Sesame Street library will be available to view on Max through 2027. Currently, the streaming service only offers seasons 1, 5, 7 and 39–54. A select few episodes of Sesame Street are also available on PBS Kids.

The streaming platform's decision to cut ties with Sesame Workshop will not impact the premiere of season 55 on Max in January 2025.

Read the original article on People