Howard Stern quits radio show SiriusXM after two decades

Howard Stern is walking away from SiriusXM after almost 20 years on the air.

This morning, Andy Cohen confirmed the speculation is true and that the long-serving star has left the station. He was up-front with listeners as many tuned in hoping that Howard would be back on the mic.

Stern joining the then-Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. in 2006 and the company made him one of the highest-paid people in broadcasting. But after nearly two decades, he has decided to go - leaving listeners devastated.

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“I know you’re expecting a big announcement from Howard and this is not how things were meant to go,” the host said. “This was supposed to be a cleaner hand off. I’m kind of winging it.

“I can’t overstate what Howard has meant to this company and what he did for SiriusXM. He walked so that we could run. I can’t possibly fill his void."

He had told listeners that he had “totally shut down” during the summer. He said he wanted to tell the world about his decision himself last week, but was too unwell to take to the studio.

Sources say Howard's decision comes as a result of "frustrations over the new contract," he's been negotiating with the satellite/online radio company. His current eyewatering $500M, five-year deal with SiriusXM expires at the end of this year.

The broadcaster is believed to be struggling with the deteriorating health of his beloved mother, Ray Schiffman Stern, who will turn 98 in October. "It rips my heart out. I don't want my mom to be uncomfortable. I just want to fix her," Howard said on his show back in February 2022.

'I'm so tired and exhausted. Think of five other words for exhausted and tired and that's what I am. I'm so depressed. I mentioned this on the air yesterday that my mom's not doing well. She's just in a lot of pain, you know? Physical pain," he added at the time.

However, it was Howard's father, Ben, who wound up passing away five months later from prostate cancer.

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