Howard Stern’s future at SiriusXM has been thrown into doubt after the shock jock canceled his anticipated post-summer return.

The 71-year-old, who as soon as commanded the eye of thousands and thousands, shocked his staff with an surprising Labor Day e mail that hinted at rising frustrations and deeper private struggles.

Together with his $500 million contract set to run out, rankings slipping, and household well being issues weighing closely on him, Howard now faces one of the crucial unsure chapters of his profession.

After weeks of teasing a giant announcement, Howard shocked his staff by pulling the plug on his much-anticipated September 2 return present.

Staffers, who had ready for his comeback after the summer season break, acquired an e mail from Howard on Labor Day night, stating he wouldn’t be again as promised.

Whereas the observe was written rigorously to keep away from panic, sources informed the Day by day Mail the choice got here “out of the blue.”

The sudden change fueled hypothesis concerning the radio veteran’s future with SiriusXM.

The broadcaster had beforehand constructed hype, promising followers he would deal with questions like “Fired? Retiring? Canceled? Bye-Bye Booey?”

But as an alternative of solutions, staff and listeners have been left with silence.

On the coronary heart of the uncertainty is Howard’s ongoing battle with SiriusXM over a brand new contract.

His present five-year, $500 million deal is ready to run out on the finish of this 12 months, and sources point out that frustrations with the negotiations have been constructing.

If he walks away, it will finish his two-decade run with the satellite tv for pc and on-line radio large.

In October 2024, SiriusXM President Scott Greenstein informed THR that the media character’s destiny rests in his personal fingers, stating that the corporate would by no means try to switch him.

“He is been with me and the corporate occurring twenty years, and so he is fairly completely happy, however he is additionally in a position, like many nice artists, to cease each time he desires. No one will ever change them. We’d by no means attempt to change them,” he mentioned.

In the meantime, the uncertainty has been amplified by declining listener numbers.

The star’s radio present as soon as drew about 20 million listeners weekly. Nonetheless, reviews now recommend his SiriusXM viewers has dropped to as few as 125,000, making the way forward for one other huge contract much less clear.

Past enterprise, Howard Stern can be dealing with emotional turmoil at house.

The broadcaster has spoken overtly about his mom, Ray Schiffman Stern, who turns 98 in October and has been battling painful well being points.

“It rips my coronary heart out. I do not need my mother to be uncomfortable. I simply need to repair her,” Howard admitted on his present again in 2022.

That very same 12 months, he revealed he was “so drained and exhausted,” even utilizing the phrase “depressed” to explain his mind-set.

His grief was worsened when his father, Ben Stern, handed away from prostate most cancers simply 5 months after he shared issues about his mom’s situation.

Now, with the added blow of shedding his longtime “superagent” Don Buchwald in July, the burden of private tragedy may be very evident.

As Howard’s profession struggles, even his former colleagues have turned crucial.

Steve Grillo, a onetime staffer, dismissed his hyped September 2 return as a “determined hoax” designed to maintain him related.

“If previous Howard Stern might go and leap within the time machine, he would punch him proper within the face,” Grillo informed the Day by day Mail.

He additionally argued that the broadcaster misplaced many followers when he embraced progressive politics, even evaluating Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler on-air.

“These individuals have been the exhausting working folks that needed a change on this nation and made him well-known and made him wealthy. And he turned his again on them by saying, ‘Should you like a sure political particular person, I do not need you listening to my present.’ That is why he is acquired 125,000 listeners,” Grillo said.

President Trump additionally weighed in, saying he hadn’t heard Howard’s title in years and believed the host “went down” after endorsing Hillary Clinton in 2016.