Maury Povich has been a television staple since the ’80s. While he started his career as a newsman, he’s become known as the King of tabloid infotainment thanks to his four-year stint on A Current Affair and his 31-year gig as host of the Maury show.
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But recently, the veteran talk-show star announced that he would finally be hanging up his mic, putting away those paternity tests, and calling it quits. The news of Maury Povich’s retirement shocked many fans and has many people wondering how it will affect his lifestyle.
Here’s a deep dive into Maury Povich’s net worth and what it might look like without his bread-and-butter gig.
His Impressive Career
Maury Povich was born in Washington, D.C., on January 17th, 1939. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in television journalism, he got his start as a radio reporter before working as a newscaster at a variety of local TV stations across the country. He also hosted a number of small, syndicated talk shows, including Panorama in Washington, D.C., and People Are Talking in Philadelphia.
But it wasn’t until 1986 that Povich became a nationally known figure. That’s when he was tapped to host A Current Affair on Fox, which was a brand-new network at the time. The syndicated show, which featured compelling human-interest stories combined with salacious celebrity gossip, was a big hit and made Povich instantly recognizable. He hosted A Current Affair for four years until he was given his own nationally syndicated daytime talk show, The Maury Povich Show (which is now just called Maury) in 1991. He went on to host Maury for 31 years.
Povich is also well known in Hollywood for being married to another notable TV journalist—Connie Chung. The pair met while working together at a news station in Washington, D.C., and tied the knot in 1984. They’ve now been married for almost 40 years, which is an insanely long period of time when you consider the fact that they are both in the public eye and in the same field. The pair even hosted a weekend news program together, Weekends with Maury and Connie, in 2006. While that show ended after just six months, their marriage has stayed strong.
Povich says he attributes much of the success of their union to their profound respect for each other. “Whatever discussions or arguments go on during the day, once the head hits the pillow, it’s over and not to be continued the next morning. It is not on my mind,” he said in a 2020 interview with People magazine. “We’ve always respected each other’s careers and we’ve always respected each other’s space and values. There’s no need for any do-overs. Maybe that’s the reason why we’re still married.”
Why ‘Maury’ Is Ending
According to NBCU, Povich is now the longest-running daytime talk show host in television history. But everything must come to an end eventually, and now it’s time for the Maury show to take its final bow. While the chaotic and often polarizing talk show could probably go on for even longer, Povich says he’s ready to retire. In fact, the 82-year-old host says he’s been eager to call it quits for a while.
“Six years ago when I was ready to retire, my NBCUniversal family asked me to continue the show,” Povich told Variety. “Even though I told them I was ready for assisted living, out of loyalty to NBCUniversal and my more than 100 staff and crew members, Tracie Wilson and I agreed to one more deal. I’m so proud of my relationship with NBCUniversal and all those who worked on the Maury show but as I occasionally tell my guests on Maury, ‘Enough, already!’”
Povich was almost canceled back in 2006 when a $100-million sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against him and a few other members of his staff. The plaintiff claimed (among other things) that she was forced to watch pornography as an executive producer, as well as expose her breasts for photos. The case quickly went to closed-door arbitration and to this day, the outcome is unknown.
Maury Povich’s Net Worth
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Maury Povich has an estimated net worth of approximately $80 million. The website estimates that the talk show host earned an annual salary of $13 million for the Maury show, which is what he’ll be giving up when he retires. It shouldn’t be a problem for the former A Current Affair star, however, especially when you consider the fact that his wife is also worth cool $80 million. Together, this power couple has amassed an impressive $160 million fortune.
That fortune includes a seven-bedroom mansion in northwest Washington, D.C., which the couple bought back in 2009 for $8 million. The stunning Tudor-style house sits on a third of an acre of land (which is a sizable amount for D.C.!) and boasts an outdoor pool and a koi pond, among other upscale amenities.