Yahoo Lifestyle ‘Sesame Street’ Fans Shaken After HBO Ends Deal To Air New Episodes
Parents everywhere are feeling frazzled after learning that the future of “Sesame Street” is now in danger.
The long-running series will soon be without a home following news that HBO and Max has ended its deal to air new episodes of the children’s classic, which it acquired from PBS in 2015.
Though the show has been a cornerstone of youth programming since it debuted in 1969, HBO and Max’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, told the media the long-running series was no longer “core” to their business strategy in a statement on Friday.
The streaming services will continue to host old episodes from the “Sesame Street” catalog through 2027 and the current season of the show will be available to watch on Max next month, however.
Even still, parents and fans were distraught by the thought of “Sesame Street” going away.
Online, many wondered how to break the news to their Elmo-obsessed toddlers.
Others remembered how PBS was essentially forced to part ways with the educational mainstay, largely due to how cuts in public funding made the show too expensive for the free-to-air broadcaster to keep.
In 2019, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that it cost HBO a hefty $25 million to create a 35-episode season.
While many worried that Big Bird and friends will be now gone for good, there still could be a future for the folks who live on “Sesame Street.”
As a brand with generations of proven appeal, it’s very possible that HBO and Max competitors like Netflix, Apple TV+ and Prime Video will jump at the opportunity to snag the show.
See more reactions to the “Sesame Street” news right here:
