The Steve Wilkos Show - Wikipedia

American syndicated talk show

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article contains promotional content. Please help improve it by removing promotional language and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic text written from a neutral point of view.See our advice if the article is about you and read our scam warning in case someone asks for money to edit this article. (January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Steve Wilkos Show
Genre	Tabloid talk show
Created by	Steve Wilkos
Presented by	Steve Wilkos
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	19
No. of episodes	2,200+
Production
Executive producers	Richard Dominick (2007–2008)Rachelle Wilkos (2008–)Steve WilkosJerry Springer (2007–2023)
Camera setup	Multiple
Running time	42 minutes
Production companies	Stamford Media Center ProductionsNBCUniversal Television Distribution (season 1–14)NBCUniversal Syndication Studios (season 14–)
Original release
Network	Syndication
Release	September 10, 2007 (2007-09-10) –present
Related
Jerry Springer

The Steve Wilkos Show is a syndicated American tabloid talk show hosted by Steve Wilkos. The series is a spin-off of the Jerry Springer show, where Wilkos was employed as head of security. The Steve Wilkos Show debuted on September 10, 2007, two months after Wilkos' departure as director of security on Jerry Springer. As of September 2025, the show is airing its nineteenth season.

Description

[edit]

The Steve Wilkos Show is a spin-off from the Steve to the Rescue segments on Jerry Springer.[1][2][3] Some of the topics he covers include adultery, domestic abuse, child molestation, child abuse, paternity, disrespectful children, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, rape, theft, phobia, murder, kidnapping, and missing person reports.

Polygraph exams are entirely used on the show as a means of resolving issues, despite inconclusive evidence of their effectiveness/accuracy.[4][5][6] Daniel Ribacoff, a polygraph expert, is commonly featured on the show to explain polygraph results.[7]

History

[edit]

Wilkos has appeared twice on Maury; first in 2008,[8] and then on its 2,500th episode in 2013.[9]

On November 22, 2013, The Steve Wilkos Show celebrated its 1000th episode, along with Jerry Springer and Rachelle Wilkos as special guests. The episode looked back on its first seven seasons.[10]

The Steve Wilkos Show celebrated its tenth anniversary in September 2016. Steve and Rachelle Wilkos, as well as the producers, hosted a series of tributes entitled "A Decade of Steve", looking back on the first nine seasons.

As of May 2025, the broadcast coverage of the series in the United States is 87 percent.[11]

Format changes

[edit]

In the second season, Wilkos began dividing some episodes into two segments, each one dealing with different guests and issues. In rare cases, there can be three segments in one episode. Additionally, cheating and infidelity were added as topics to the show.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, executive producer Richard Dominick was forced from the program by Jerry Springer and NBC Universal Domestic Television after encouraging Wilkos to become extremely physical with a guest. Rachelle Wilkos, Wilkos's wife, and a long-time Jerry Springer crew member, became the program's executive producer.[12][13] Steve Wilkos admitted to being dissatisfied with the show's first season, saying "All I did was yell at everybody and throw people off the stage. There was no level of emotion -- just hardcore yelling." Upon his wife taking over, she encouraged him to be himself and go with his "gut."[14]

Notable episodes

[edit] This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

Some episodes of the show have led to guests being arrested or convicted of crimes:

• In November 2011, Norwich, Connecticut police arrested Burke Bergman after he failed a lie detector test about molesting his son, in the episode "3 Possible Dads, 1 Possible Molester?", which aired on September 19, 2011.[15]
• Five months following the October 3, 2012 episode "Did You Rape My Daughter?", guest Shaun Whitt was arrested in Flagler County, Florida on charges of molesting his then-11-year-old step-daughter beginning in 2010. In September 2014, Whitt was convicted and sentenced to life in prison on count one and to thirty years in prison on count two.[16]
• Following the taping of the February 4, 2014 episode "I Believe My Daughter, You Raped Her", police in Greenville County, South Carolina arrested and charged Dennis Prude with criminal sexual conduct with a then-10-year-old girl from August to October 2010.[17][18][19]
• The May 6, 2015 episode "Did You Violate Our Trust...and Our Children?"[20] led to the arrest of then-22-year-old Dameion McBride in Kansas City, Missouri for molesting three children.[21] McBride was convicted in late 2016 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.[22]
• Nearly a week after the May 15, 2017 broadcast of the episode "Horrific Child Abuse Caught on Video",[23] police in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania arrested then-21-year-old Jessica Lynn Samick on 2 charges of 1st degree murder. She was suspected of murdering a then-one-year-old boy whom she was babysitting.[24][25]

Broadcast history and release

[edit]

Wilkos' third season premiered on September 14, 2009, originating from the Stamford Media Center in Stamford, Connecticut. Production of the show had relocated from Chicago to Stamford earlier that year, complete with a new studio.[26] Fellow NBC-Universal talkers Maury and Jerry Springer made the move, as well.[27]

In May 2022, it was announced that The Steve Wilkos Show had been renewed for a sixteenth season.[28] On March 21, 2023, the show was renewed for a seventeenth season.[29] The show was renewed for an eighteenth season on March 27, 2024.[30] On May 19, 2025, the show was renewed for a nineteenth season.[31]

Reception

[edit]

Critical reception

[edit]

After attending tapings of the show in August 2007, Chicago Sun-Times TV critic Mike Thomas said of Wilkos: "...his toughness is tempered by tenderness".[32]

Brian Lowry of Variety had a negative review of the first week of shows, calling them "tawdry" and adding: "If Wilkos and company really cared, one suspects they'd bypass the televised morality plays, spare tearful teenagers from watching their father humiliated and go straight to the cops for restraining orders, but that's not nearly as cathartic as getting in people's grills and yelling at them."[33]

Television viewership and ratings

[edit]

The show's first season had the highest-rated premiere of fall 2007, with a Nielsen rating of 1.1.[34] From 2007 to 2014, the show had the highest rating growth out of any syndicated talk show, especially among households and women aged 25 to 54.[35] In November 2014, the show had a Nielsen rating of 1.5,[36] with an estimated 1.8 million daily viewers.[37] As of March 2020, the show averaged a 1.0 Nielsen rating, with 1.4 million daily viewers according to NBCU.[38]

See also

[edit]

• Kenny Easterday
• Jerry Springer: The Opera
• The Jeremy Kyle Show (British talk show)
• The Jeremy Kyle Show (American talk show)
• Face to Face

References

[edit]

1. ^ "NBCU to Launch The Steve Wilkos Show; Announces Clearances". Mediaweek. January 14, 2007. Archived from the original on February 18, 2007.
2. ^ "'Maury,' Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos talk shows renewed through 2016". The Stamford Times. July 15, 2012.
3. ^ Berman, Marc (September 3, 2007). "Mr. Television: Talking Tough". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on September 14, 2007.
4. ^ "Scientific Validity of Polygraph Testing: A Research Review and Evaluation". Washington, DC: U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment. 1983. Retrieved February 29, 2008.
5. ^ "Monitor on Psychology – The polygraph in doubt". American Psychological Association. July 2004. Retrieved February 29, 2008.
6. ^ Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences and Education (BCSSE) and Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) (2003). The Polygraph and Lie Detection. National Research Council. doi:10.17226/10420. ISBN 978-0-309-26392-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (Chapter 8: Conclusions and Recommendations, p. 212)
7. ^ "Daniel Ribacoff - Steve Wilkos". February 2, 2021.
8. ^ Video on YouTube
9. ^ "Steve Wilkos". TVGuide.com.
10. ^ Andrea Morabito (November 22, 2013). "Ex-Marine Steve Wilkos battles his way to 1,000 episodes". New York Post. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
11. ^ Petski, Denise (May 19, 2025). "The Steve Wilkos Show Renewed for Season 19 in National Syndication". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
12. ^ Feder, Robert (September 11, 2008). "Choked up; Ex-'Springer' producer says he gave 'everything I had inside me'". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008.
13. ^ Feder, Robert (September 3, 2008). "Fall from 'Springer'". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
14. ^ Skladany, Joey (February 12, 2015). "Steve Wilkos Gets in Touch with His Softer Side". Zimbio.
15. ^ Smith, Greg (November 2, 2011). "Taftville man arrested after TV appearance". The Bulletin. Norwich, CT. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
16. ^ "32-year-old Palm Coast man gets life in prison for rape of minor".
17. ^ "TV show polygraph test leads to Greenville sex crime arrest". WYFF. November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
18. ^ WLOS News 13 (February 4, 2014). Man Turns Himself in on Steve Wilkos Show. Retrieved November 15, 2025 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
19. ^ "Steve Wilkos' law-enforcement background was good training for a show that can lead to criminal charges". New York Daily News. February 4, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
20. ^ "The Steve Wilkos Show". TVGuide.com.
21. ^ Babbitt, Kasey (July 15, 2015). "Kansas City metro man charged with 1st degree murder after appearing on daytime talk show". Fox4KC.com. WDAF. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
22. ^ Kaplan, Don (February 19, 2017). "Steve Wilkos helps bust perv, failed TV lie detector test launches police investigation". New York Daily News. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
23. ^ "The Steve Wilkos Show". TVGuide.com.
24. ^ Metrick, Becky (May 24, 2017). "Update: Charges filed in Waynesboro murder case featured on Steve Wilkos Show". Public Opinion. Chambersburg, PA. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
25. ^ Metrick, Becky (April 19, 2018). "Family's plea stops agreement in child abuse case featured on Steve Wilkos Show". Public Opinion. Chambersburg, PA. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
26. ^ Andrea Morabito (November 22, 2013). "Ex-Marine Steve Wilkos battles his way to 1,000 episodes". New York Post. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
27. ^ "The new studio – Steve Wilkos". Archived from the original on September 26, 2009.
28. ^ Petski, Denise (May 5, 2022). "'The Steve Wilkos Show' Renewed For Season 16 In National Syndication". Deadline Hollywood.
29. ^ Rice, Lynette (March 21, 2023). "'The Steve Wilkos Show' Renewed for 17th Season". Deadline Hollywood.
30. ^ Petski, Denise (March 27, 2024). "'The Steve Wilkos Show' Renewed For Season 18 In National Syndication". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024.
31. ^ Petski, Denise (May 19, 2025). "The Steve Wilkos Show Renewed For Season 19 In National Syndication". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
32. ^ Thomas, Mike (August 23, 2007). "Tough but tender". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
33. ^ Lowry, Brian (September 12, 2007). "The Steve Wilkos Show". Variety. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
34. ^ Albiniak, Paige (September 11, 2007). "Syndication Ratings: The Steve Wilkos Show Leads Pack". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
35. ^ "Ratings – "The Steve Wilkos Show" Posts Strong November Sweeps Ratings | TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
36. ^ Walsten, Jessika (December 10, 2014). "The Steve Wilkos Show Posts Strong November Sweeps Ratings". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
37. ^ "'Maury,' 'Jerry Springer Show,' 'Steve Wilkos' Get Two-Season Renewals". The Hollywood Reporter. October 6, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
38. ^ Albiniak, Paige (March 5, 2020). "'Steve Wilkos' Joins 'Maury' With Two-Season Renewal". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved February 26, 2021.

External links

[edit]

• Official website
• The Steve Wilkos Show at IMDb

v t e The Jerry Springer Show
Cast/crew	Jerry Springer Kenny Easterday Steve Wilkos Richard Dominick
Related	Jerry Springer: The Opera Ringmaster The Steve Wilkos Show Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Sabrina the Teenage Witch (S3, Ep. 14) Judge Jerry I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)
International versions	Russia 2001-etc series 2002–2005 series

v t e Daytime news and talk TV shows in the United States
Network	English The View GMA3 ABC The 3rd Today with Jenna & Sheinelle NBC News Daily NBC Spanish El Gordo y la Flaca Univision ¿Quién Tiene la Razón? Casos de familia Laura UniMás
Syndicated	General Access Daily with Mario & Kit The Drew Barrymore Show The Jennifer Hudson Show Karamo The Kelly Clarkson Show Live with Kelly and Mark Sherri The Steve Wilkos Show Tamron Hall TMZ Live Sports Good Morning Football: Overtime
Cable	News The Situation Room Inside Politics CNN News Central The Arena with Kasie Hunt The Lead with Jake Tapper CNN Outnumbered America Reports The Story with Martha MacCallum The Will Cain Show The Five Fox News MS NOW Reports Deadline: White House MS NOW The Record with Greta Van Susteren The Big Take with Ed Henry Newsmax TV Sports The Herd with Colin Cowherd First Things First FS1 First Take The Pat McAfee Show SportsCenter NBA Today NFL Live Pardon the Interruption ESPN The Rich Eisen Show ESPN2 Off Base Intentional Talk MLB Network The Paul Finebaum Show SEC Network
List	List of American network TV daytime talk programs