Oprah Winfrey is opening up about the struggles during the early years of her network and what she learned from the ordeal. The Oprah Winfrey Recalls One of the Worst Years of Her Life: ‘I Was Struggling’ first appeared on The Blast

Oprah Winfrey launched her namesake network in January 2011, mere months before the end of her daytime talk show. However, the Oprah Winfrey Network wasn’t an immediate success, and it underwent massive layoffs two years after its launch. Now, years later, Winfrey is reflecting on that time, calling it one of the hardest years of her life.

Oprah Winfrey Opens Up About Early Struggles With Her Network

Winfrey appeared on the “Mel Robbins Podcast” in September 2026. During the conversation, Winfrey reflected on the early days of her network, including its struggle to gain viewers and its eventual layoff of a substantial bit of its staff.

The 70-year-old began, “2012 was one of the worst years of my life.” Discussing that period, Winfrey mentioned the negative press attention she received. According to her, “Every single story headline about me was, ‘Oprah and the struggling OWN Network. Oprah and the struggling OWN Network.’”

She continued, saying, “And it was hurtful and painful to me because it was the truth. I was struggling.”

Oprah Had Serious Doubts About Starting The Network

The talk show legend continued the interview by revealing that she entered the network-building process with uncertainty. At one point, however, she feared what her business partners would think if she decided not to move forward.

She said, “I was so angry with myself. I did not listen to [myself]. The voice inside myself was so strong, telling me not to do it, that I would wake up in the middle of the night and couldn’t breathe.”

Winfrey then said, “And I’d say, ‘Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t do it.’ Then I’d say, ‘But I already signed. I already signed. Already said I was going to do it.”

Still, she gained a valuable lesson from the ordeal: “You always have the right to change your mind.”

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The Former Talk Show Host Has Given Up Most Of Her Stake In The Network

The Oprah Winfrey Network launched on January 1, 2011, after years of delays, replacing the Discovery Home Channel. However, after viewers tuned in out of initial curiosity, OWN saw a major decline in viewership, and the company laid off 20% of its employees in March 2012.

Over time, the network found an audience, particularly through Winfrey’s contract with Tyler Perry for original content and various interview specials hosted by the beloved television personality. Still, in late 2017, Winfrey sold 24.5% of her stake in the network for a reported $70 million, giving Discovery majority ownership.

According to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, she then sold another 20.2% interest in the company to Discovery for $35 million in late 2020. Winfrey’s company, Harpo, currently owns about 5% of the network.

The 72-Year-Old Also Discussed The Network In 2024

Winfrey has commented on her namesake network multiple times in recent years. This includes an August 2024 interview with “Today,” where she called the launch of the Oprah Winfrey Network a regret.

She said at the time, “I would not have taken on the responsibility of trying to build a network while still ending the show.” Winfrey continued, “That is my one regret … I should have handled all of that differently, I think. I should have completed one thing, taken a year to do nothing, and then decided what was the next thing for me to do.”

Winfrey continued reflecting, saying, “I’d made my decision that it was time for the show to end; I don’t regret that. What I do regret is trying to do multiple things at the same time.”

The “Color Purple” actress added, “I would have done the thing that I tell everybody else to do: ‘When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Get still with yourself and do nothing.’ I would have given myself that time.”

She’s Coming To The Las Vegas Sphere

One of Winfrey’s upcoming endeavors brings a series of live performances to The Sphere in Las Vegas. Per Reuters, her engagement at the Sphere will include four performances, taking place from April 2 to 4, 2027. The performances will be a part of a production known as “Oprah Winfrey’s AHA,” a reference to her iconic “aha moments” from her talk show.

The two-hour shows will feature music, poetry, storytelling, visual art, etc. There will also be guest appearances, including Grammy-winner Jason Collier, poet and author Ocean Vuong, etc.

The Oprah Winfrey Recalls One of the Worst Years of Her Life: ‘I Was Struggling’ first appeared on The Blast