Montel Williams Shopping New Syndie

Living Well with Montel to be based on diet and lifestyle book by same name.

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/9/2008 1:01:00 AM

Montel Williams, whose talk show went out of production in March after 17 seasons on the air, is already shopping another show to syndicators, Williams’ spokeswoman confirmed.

The new program is being developed under the title Living Well with Montel and is based on the diet and lifestyle book by the same name that Williams published last January.

Sources said Williams has been discussing his new show with stations and distributors ever since he learned in January that The Montel Williams Show, distributed by CBS, was ending production.

Syndication executives said they have held meetings with Williams about the new program, but Williams has yet to settle on a precise format or secure a distributor.

The book, Living Well with Montel, makes recommendations on how to eat and exercise to live a healthier life, according to Williams’ Web site.

Williams, who won the Daytime Emmy Award for best talk show host in 1996, wrote two other best-selling books: Climbing Higher and Mountain, Get Out of My Way. He is also the co-author of another best-seller, Bodychange.

Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999 and since then has set up The Montel Williams MS Foundation to raise awareness and funds for MS research.