TV icon Oprah Winfrey has bought back the documentary rights to her life three years after Apple TV+ announced a project with filmmaker Kevin Macdonald.
Oprah Winfrey has bought back the rights to a documentary about her life.
The 70-year-old television icon has reacquired the rights to her own life story from Apple TV+, three years after Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald was attached to helm the project alongside her longtime producer Lisa Espamer.
In a statement to Page Six, Oprah's spokesperson said: "As the Apple TV+ deal was coming to an end, Ms. Winfrey bought back the rights to her docu-series and has since decided to put the doc on hold.
"Ms. Winfrey believes Lisa Erspamer and Kevin MacDonald are incredibly talented filmmakers and is grateful for the time and energy they put into the project.”
Oprah ended her content deal with Apple two years ago, and the documentary has been shelved.
Although some source told the outlet that creative differences are behind the project being halted, an insider close to the TV star insisted it simply "wasn't the right time to do a documentary".
And despite speculation it would cost her millions to reclaim the rights to the documentary, a source has denied it reaching seven figures.
The legendary talk show host celebrated her landmark 70th birthday in January this year, and she has since admitted she has developed a new outlook on life.
Appearing 'TODAY' last month, she said: "There is a sense of knowing that there isn’t as much time left and I am at peace with that knowing. There’s a sense of urgency for me about living well."
Oprah underwent knee surgery in 2021, and that proved to be a turning point in her life.
She explained: "I had been becoming more and more debilitated to the point where it was hard to walk down even two steps just to get into the car. You know that pain.
"When I finally went to the knee doctor and I said, ‘I don’t know, is it time?’ He goes, ‘It’s time if you want to continue walking. You like walking? It’s time.’"
Oprah now feels better than she has done in many years.
The TV icon - who hosted 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' for 25 years - explained: "I think I have just aged into a form of myself that is wiser, that is certainly stronger, that is more vibrant and aware and conscious than I’ve ever been. I don’t feel that my edges are softening."
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Oasis fans hoping to get tickets for the band's reunion shows are being asked a trivia question to secure access to a pre-sale ballot.
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Time is an extraordinarily complicated thing which does not always behave in the way you...
One of the finest biopics in recent memory, this drama manages to present someone as...
“What happens when a man stands up and says ‘enough is enough’?” So goes the...
A relentlessly smiley-glowy tone threatens to undo this film at every turn, but it's just...
This biographical documentary about disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong feels eerily gentle compared to filmmaker Alex...
This is an strangely slushy movie from Lee Daniels, whose last two films (Precious and...
Cecil Gaines is a modest and dedicated butler at the White House who manages to...
Cecil Gains is a devoted White House butler who grew up on a simple cotton...
This beautifully assembled documentary traces the creation of Paul Simon's seminal 1986 album Graceland, focussing...