SPECULATION has been swirling that The Howard Stern show on SiriusXM is being cancelled after contract talks stalled.
But, as is very often the case with the shock jock, things were not quite what they seemed — here’s everything you need to know.
Howard Stern addressed The US Sun’s report that his contract with SiriusXM was coming to an end during his show[/caption]
Stern was set to address the rumors a week earlier, but missed work with the ‘cold from hell’[/caption]
Is the Howard Stern Show returning?
In the wake of an exclusive report by The US Sun, numerous outlets also claimed Howard Stern’s contract at SiriusXM appeared to be coming to an end.
Some publications even included caveats about a possible reduced schedule and lower pay.
Stern finally took to the air on Monday, September 8, 2025, but first he ran a prank where Bravo‘s Andy Cohen said he was taking over the shock jock’s show.
Andy opened the show in place of Howard, leaving many listeners to believe he was genuinely replacing him.
But this was all orchestrated to poke fun at the cancellation rumors.
After the prank, Stern addressed his unexpected absence from his show the previous week, when he was supposed to finally open up about the truth behind cancellation rumors.
He claimed he missed the week because he had the “cold from hell” after attending a Metallica concert in the Hamptons.
Stern said: “I had no voice whatsoever. Could not come on the air. I mean, I literally couldn’t get a word out. So I don’t know. This is the f****** cold from hell.”
After 45 minutes of the broadcast, Stern seemed to finally address the reports that his show could be cancelled.
He said: “Here’s the truth — SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future.
“They’ve approached me, they’ve sat down with me, like they normally do, and they’re fantastic.”
Howard explained that SiriusXM execs asked him: “Howard, would you stay? Under what conditions do you want to stay? How often do you want to do a show?”
He added that “they’ve been nothing but lovely”, before confirming that a deal hasn’t yet been signed.
The radio icon then read directly from The U.S. Sun’s initial report, seemingly confirming its veracity.
Here’s the truth — SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future
Howard Stern
He read: “Stern’s contract is up in the fall and while Sirius is planning to make him an offer, they don’t intend for him to take it.”
Stern then continued: “Which is weird. Well, fine, whatever. I might not have, but now I have to take it.”
On September 3, 2025, Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s Chief Content Officer, said at a conference that while they would love for Stern to stay, nothing was set in stone.
He said: “It certainly has to make sense, but we feel pretty good that we’ve done this before… We’ll see where it goes.”
Stern said his bosses at SiriusXM have been ‘nothing but lovely’ during contract discussions[/caption]
Meanwhile, SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz also confirmed they weren’t near a deal with Stern yet, adding that she was “confident [they would] get to the right place” with the radio icon.
The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed that the Stern and his SiriusXM bosses were not expected to come to a mutually acceptable agreement when his $100 million-a-year contract expires later in 2025.
In August 2025, sources told The US Sun that Stern’s SiriusXM show appeared to be on the verge of cancellation.
However, fans of the provocative presenter needn’t worry, as he hasn’t been cancelled — at least not yet.
Stern has clarified that he and SiriusXM are in ongoing contract discussions, with no final decision made either way.
His on-air prank ultimately confirmed that, for now, The Howard Stern Show continues as usual on SiriusXM.
