CELEBRITY
Oprah To Step Down From WeightWatchers Board, Donate Stake To National Museum of African American History
oprah/Instagram
Oprah Winfrey will be stepping down from her role on the WeightWatchers board of directors after serving for nine years, after admitting in December that she uses medication to help her lose weight.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, WeightWatchers said Winfrey has decided not to stand for re-election at the Companys upcoming annual meeting of shareholders to be held in May 2024. She joined the board in 2015.
“I look forward to continuing to advise and collaborate with WeightWatchers and CEO Sima Sistani in elevating the conversation around recognizing obesity as a chronic condition, working to reduce stigma, and advocating for health equity,” Winfrey said in a statement. “Weight Health is a critically important topic and one that needs to be addressed at a broader scale. I plan to participate in a number of public forums and events where I will be a vocal advocate in advancing this conversation.
She also said she will be donating her financial stake in the company to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“In addition, I have decided to donate my interest in WeightWatchers to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (“NMAAHC”). I have been a long-time supporter of this worthy organization, and I am proud to continue my support, she said.
The board of directors approved Winfrey’s proposal to donate her stock during the company’s upcoming trading window in March, to eliminate any perceived conflict of interest around her taking weight loss medications.
In a December cover story for People, Winfrey addressed speculation about her slimmed-down figure after wowing fans in red-carpet appearances for the latest film adaptation of The Color Purple, which she co-produced after starring in the 1985 version of the film.
“I now use [weight-loss medication] as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing,” Winfrey told the outlet, though she didn’t specify which medication she uses. The most popular version is the injectable Ozempic, a diabetes drug that’s also used for weight loss.
“The fact that theres a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for, she said.
It was public sport to make fun of me for 25 years, Winfrey said. I have been blamed and shamed, and I blamed and shamed myself.
Now, she said, she’s absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself.
Despite her upcoming departure, Winfrey and WeightWatchers will be hosting an event on Weight Health in May, to un-shame our relationship with weight, the company said.
“Oprah has been an inspiring presence and passionate advocate for our members, providing critical insights and counsel that has helped shape WeightWatchers over these last 8 years. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank her for her energy, dedication, and for continuing to play a role as collaborator and thought partner going forward. What I know for sure, we will dearly miss her presence on the Board,” said Chairman of the Board Thilo Semmelbauer.
Just as the media mogul’s addition to the board sent WW International’s share prices soaring back in 2015, news of her departure has caused the company’s stock price to plummet in after-hours trading Wednesday, though it ticked back up slightly Thursday morning.
TMX contributed to this article.
