“Judge Judy” has extended her reign in daytime as CBS Media Ventures has renewed its package of vintage “Judge Judy” episodes and the first-run court show “Hot Bench.”
Both daytime strips have been renewed through the end of the 2025-26 season on TV stations covering 95% of U.S. TV households. “Judge Judy” has been a daytime syndication stalwart since 1996 and that hasn’t changed even after she stopped producing new episodes of the series in 2021, after the show logged its 25th year. “Judge Judy” reruns at present average about 6 million viewers a week and the show still commands top daytime time slots around the country.
“Hot Bench,” which features a panel of judges, is still actively delivering new episodes and is executive produced by “Judge Judy” star Judith Sheindlin. “Judge Judy” has been re-upped by stations owned by CBS, Sinclair, Nexstar, Scripps, Tegna, Gray, Hearst and Weigel. “Hot Bench” has been nabbed by Sinclair, Nexstar, Tegna, Scripps, Fox Stations, Gray and Weigel.
” ‘Judge Judy’ and ‘Hot Bench’ are a powerful one-two punch for stations,” said Greg Guenther, senior VP of domestic sales for CBS Media Ventures. “Together, these two shows account for 67% of all minutes watched in the nationally syndicated court genre. Our station clients can’t get enough of this premium product and were eager to keep both shows in their daytime lineups.”
Popular on Variety
“Hot Bench” draws about 2 million daily viewers, per CBS.
” ‘Hot Bench’ is the only court show to grow year over year this season, increasing 14% in total viewers and 13% among the key women 25-54 demographic,” Guenther said.
CBS Media Ventures has been in the marketplace setting renewals for “Judge Judy” library episodes at the same time that Sheindlin’s Freevee series “Judy Justice” has shopped a package of reruns from that daily court show. That show premiered in November 2021 after Sheindlin ankled “Judge Judy.”
