Oprah Winfrey To Exit WeightWatchers Board Amid Weight-Loss Drug Confession
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is parting ways with WeightWatchers, new reports reveal.
After almost 10 years on the board of directors, Winfrey told the company this week that she will not be standing for re-election at the annual shareholder meeting coming up in May.
The company insisted that Winfrey's decision to leave "was not the result of any disagreement" or "any matter relating to the company’s operations, policies or practices," per a statement obtained by CNN.
"Oprah is an inspiring presence and passionate advocate both for our members and for society at large, in elevating the conversation around weight health,” said Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers. "While I and the rest of our directors will certainly miss her in our board meetings following the end of her current term, she remains a strong strategic voice and collaborator with WeightWatchers."
Winfrey, a longtime advocate for weight health and obesity issues, first joined the WeightWatchers board in 2015. She said in her own statement this week that she plans on "continuing to advise and collaborate" with the company in "elevating the conversation around recognizing obesity as a chronic condition, working to reduce stigma, and advocating for health equity," CNN reports.
It's not lost on the public that Winfrey's WeightWatchers exit comes shortly after she opened up about using weight-loss drugs to maintain her figure during a December 2023 interview with PEOPLE. At the time, Winfrey didn't get specific as to which of the weight-loss drugs she was using, but names like Ozempic and Wegovy have recently become increasingly popular.
Following her weight-loss drug confession, Winfrey, 70, became subject to some backlash and criticism from the public, and fitness expert Jillian Michaels was notably among those who spoke out against her.
During an interview in January, Michaels claimed that WeightWatchers "bought a company that provides access" to drugs like Ozempic, giving Winfrey, a WeightWatchers board member, a "financial incentive" in recommending them. At the time, Michaels insisted that Winfrey should have disclosed any possible financial or business connections to the weight-loss drugs.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Winfrey's stepping down from WeightWatchers may have had something to do with the point raised by Michaels.
A statement from the company stated that Winfrey, who will be donating her shares in WeightWatchers to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is doing so in order to "promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans and to eliminate any perceived conflict of interest around her taking weight loss medications."
Next: Every Star Who's Admitted To Using Ozempic, WeGovy and Other Weight Loss Drugs (So Far)
