BET Puts 'Mo'Nique Show' On Hiatus

(Updated) — The summer TCA tour kicked off earlier this morning with panels from The Weather Channel and ESPN, but it’s a network that’s not scheduled to present during the tour that has a few writers buzzing.

BET has put its two-year old late night series The Mo’Nique Show on hiatus, according to network officials.

The show, one of a handful of late night shows hosted by African-Americans since The Arsenio Hall Show in the 1990s, will continue to air original episodes in its 11 p.m. timeslot through the summer and then run repeats after that.

The series experienced a 15% ratings decline in its second season, averaging 581,000 viewers compared to the 681,000 viewers the show delivered during its freshman campaign, according to Nielsen. The official BET statement reads as follows: “The Mo’Nique Show will be on production hiatus beginning in the Fall.  However, new episodes of the show will continue to air throughout the summer.  Mo’nique Hicks and The Mo’Nique Show are important to the BET Networks family and we look forward to continuing our relationship with her.”

The statement comes after Mediatakeout reported that the series had been canceled by the African-American targeted network.

If The Mo’nique Show does not continue, it would be a loss for BET and for late night viewers. The Mo’nique Show provided a different and unique voice to a very crowded late night block on both cable and the broadcast television.