Oprah Winfrey tears up recounting her weight loss journey in primetime special

Oprah Winfrey moderated a primetime television special about weight loss on Monday night that served as a reminder of what made her talk show so special.

It’s been nearly 13 years since “The Oprah Winfrey Show” came to an end, but for viewers of her weight loss special on Monday night, it likely felt like Winfrey’s talk show was back. “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution” featured Winfrey doing what she proved for 25 seasons on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” she can do better than just about anyone else: bring people together and get them talking – and listening – to each other. “I wanted to do this special for the more than 100 million people in the United States and the over 1 billion people around the world who are living with obesity,” Winfrey said as she introduced the program. “Maybe that’s you or maybe that’s somebody you love.” “In my lifetime I never dreamed we would be talking about medicines that would be providing hope to people, like me, who have struggled for years with being overweight or with obesity,” Winfrey continued. “I come to this conversation with the hope that we can start releasing the stigma and the shame and the judgment – to stop shaming other people for being overweight or how they choose to lose or not lose weight – and more importantly to stop shaming ourselves.” The program featured several guests who shared their personal experiences with obesity and weight management. Winfrey, too, shared the pain she has felt at times in her weight journey. “I took on the shame that the world gave to me. For 25 years, making fun of my weight was national sport,” she said.