Bill Maher is coming to CNN — sort of.
In an effort to grow the audience of his Emmy-nominated HBO talk show, Real Time With Bill Maher, which airs on Friday nights, Warner Bros. Discovery has just announced that it will re-air the show Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET on CNN.
Those without HBO subscriptions will be able to watch Real Time on CNN beginning this week on Saturday, March 23. With Real Time now available on Saturdays, Maher’s post-show segment, Overtime, will transition off of Fridays on CNN, though it will continue to be available on YouTube.
Now in its 22nd season, Real Time finds Maher offering his unique perspective on contemporary issues via an opening monologue, one-on-one interviews with notable guests, roundtable discussions with panelists, and the show’s signature segment, New Rules.
“The addition of Real Time With Bill Maher to CNN’s weekend primetime lineup marks the start of a commitment and investment into topical entertainment programming that we’re bringing to the weekends,” said Amy Entelis, EVP of Talent, CNN Originals and Creative Development for CNN Worldwide. “We’ve seen that audiences enjoy Bill’s perspective and approach to news and information, and we’re looking forward to the show now being on CNN.”
Maher goes way back with HBO, having taped his first special for the network back in 1989. He has headlined 12 solo specials to date, and he has been hosting Real Time on HBO since 2003.
For the entirety of that time, Maher had been represented by CAA, though he fired his longtime representatives last week after being left off the guest list for agency head Bryan Lourd’s private Oscar party the night before the Academy Awards.
This, after CAA just renegotiated Maher’s HBO deal, which will keep Real Time on the air for two more seasons through 2026.
Last week, a representative for CAA confirmed that Maher had parted ways with the agency, though on Sunday night, Maher’s longtime manager, Marc Gurvitz — a fellow EP on Real Time — told Puck News that his client “has 100 percent not left CAA.”
We’ll see if cooler heads prevail, but if this is, indeed, the end for Maher at CAA, then look for WME to make a play to sign the veteran talk show host, whose Club Random podcast has also proved popular.
Real Time With Bill Maher will continue to be available live and on demand on HBO’s streaming platform Max.
