Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have announced the end of their popular TV show Morning Wars, as it’s known in Australia.
In a joint statement as well as individual social media posts the actresses and producers of the series confirmed the upcoming fifth would be their final season.
Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have announced the end of their popular TV show Morning Wars, as it’s known in Australia. Instagram/Jennifer Aniston
The news comes after eight years of producing the show together, one of the original slate when Apple TV’s streaming first launched in 2019, leaving the pair in tears as they filmed their last scenes together.
The drama tells the story about breakfast TV presenters and journalists, Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon) and Alex Levy (Aniston), as they deal with their high-stress jobs as well as the internal politics of their news organisation.
Witherspoon – who also has the TV series Elle on rival streaming service Prime – shared a video clip from the set of the drama, also featuring co-stars Mark Duplass and Billy Crudup.
“8 years. 5 seasons. So many memories,” she captioned the post, adding: “I can’t wait for you to see the final season”.
Aniston (right) said there’d been plenty of “laughing and crying” on the set for their last season. Instagram/Jennifer Aniston
In text across the video, set to the show’s theme music, Witherspoon wrote: You’re only as good as the people you work with and, wow, how lucky am I to work with the best?!
“Thank you to every cast and crew member who brought this story to life.”
The 50-year-old promised the fifth and final season would be “intense and dramatic”.
Meanwhile, Aniston, 57, shared a carousel of photos and videos from the set of their last season, with the caption “laughing and crying”.
The two women were seen hugging and crying in a number of clips as they filmed their final scenes together. Instagram/Reese Witherspoon
In the more formal statement, Aniston said knowing the show was wrapping up and not suddenly getting cut gave them the opportunity to finish it how they wanted to.
“Going in knowing it would be our last, we were so fortunate to craft the conclusion with intentionality, and honour these characters the way they deserve,” she said.
Witherspoon called the role “an honour of a lifetime” and the “privilege of my career”.
Witherspoon (left) called the role “an honour of a lifetime” and the “privilege of my career”. Supplied/Apple TV
“The past nine years producing and acting in The Morning Show [as it’s known in the US] have been the honour of a lifetime,” she said.
“This was always more than a show about a newsroom – it was a show about why the newsroom matters. About freedom of the press, and the journalists who protect the fourth estate, often at great cost.
“Telling that story has been the creative privilege of my career.”
Fellow executive producer Michael Ellenberg praised his partners and co-stars for their work.
“The Morning Show is the ultimate labour of love for everyone involved, from the writers, to the crew, to the directors, to the cast, led by our incredible partners, Jen and Reese, who from the very beginning set the course for the fearless, timely, provocative, ambitious and rousing show we’ve poured our hearts and souls into these last years,” he said.
The award-winning show will finish up on the streaming service in 2027.
Witherspoon and Aniston first starred together on television in the sitcom Friends, with Witherspoon playing Aniston’s little sister Jill.