NEWSOprah Winfrey Defends Giving Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil Platforms Amid Criticism Over Their Politics: 'I Thought They Had Valuable Information to Share'
Oprah felt Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil both had 'meaningful' information to share with her viewers.
Aug. 12 2026, Updated 7:21 p.m. ET
Oprah Winfrey is standing behind her role in helping launch the television careers of Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Phil McGraw.
"At the time, the reason and intention behind me giving them their breaks was I thought they had valuable information to share that had been meaningful to me," Oprah, 72, said in an interview published by Emmy Magazine on Wednesday, August 12.
Oprah Defended Helping Launch Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz's TV Careers
Oprah admitted that she's often 'criticized' for her connection to Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil.
The long-time talk show host admitted that she's often "criticized" for giving the two men a platform because of their "politics or their views."
Oprah hired Dr. Phil's legal consulting team in 1998 after she was sued by a group of Texas cattle ranchers, who accused her of "disparaging" them during a 1996 episode of her talk show about mad cow disease.
Oprah Said Dr. Phil Was 'So Down to Earth'
Oprah explained that Dr. Phil was by her side when she was sued in 1998.
The Oprah Winfrey Show host described Dr. Phil, 75, as "so practical, so down to earth [and] real," and admitted he was "instrumental in helping" her through her case.
"He would ride in the car with me every morning on the way to trial, where I’m literally sitting on trial for six weeks," she explained. "I thought, 'Oh, you could help a lot of people. You should come on my show.'"
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Oprah Was Introduced to Dr. Oz by Gayle King
Oprah appreciated Dr. Oz's method of explaining complicated medical terms with everyday language.
The journalist explained that she was introduced to Dr. Oz, 66, by close friend Gayle King, and she appreciated the everyday language he used to describe complex medical terms.
"He explained practical things like colon cancer and bowel movements," she recalled. "I thought it would be helpful to many other people. And that is how they ended up on the show."
Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil Faced Criticism Over Donald Trump Connection
Oprah emphasized that Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz's current endeavors have 'not one thing' to do with her.
"Everybody has their own path in life, and it has not one thing to do with me, and I don’t have one thing to do with them," she concluded.
Both Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil launched successful television careers, with each going on to host their own shows after establishing connections with Oprah.
They've also faced criticism in recent years, as Dr. Oz is a strong supporter of Donald Trump and serves as the Trump Administration's Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
While Dr. Phil hasn't explicitly stated that he supports Trump, 80, he did speak at one of his rallies in October 2024.
