Oprah announces the end of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' (Nov. 20, 2009)

In this image taken from video Friday, Nov. 20, 2009 and provided by Harpo Productions Inc., talk-show host Oprah Winfrey announces during a live broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in Chicago that her daytime television show, the foundation of a multibillion-dollar media empire, will end its run in 2011 after 25 seasons on the air. (AP Photo/Harpo Productions, Inc.)

Oprah announced live on her talk show Friday that she will be ending "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after the 25th season. The last episode will air September 9, 2011, according to a press release on Oprah.com.

"After much prayer and months of careful thought, I've decided that next season, season 25, will be the last season of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'," she began.

Oprah spent the last six minutes of her hour opening up to viewers, letting them know that it was important to her that they knew the true reasons she was ending her show.

 She explained that 25 years felt like the perfect time to stop, the perfect number to end on.

Tears began to fall from Oprah's face when she started to talk about viewers and her experiences with viewers.

"These years with you, our viewers, have enriched my life beyond all measure. And you all have graciously invited me in to your living rooms, in to your kitchens and in to your lives," Oprah said. "I just wanted to say that, whether you've been here from the beginning or you came on board last week, I want you all to know that my relationship with you is one that I hold very dear."

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