How long has Oprah Winfrey served at Weight Watchers? Popular television host to step down from board as she admits using weight-loss drugs

Oprah Winfrey announced on Thursday, February 29, that she has decided to resign from the Weight Watchers board. The well-known American, who has served on the company's board since 2015, declared that she will not run for re-election during the upcoming shareholder meeting in May 2024.

Oprah Winfrey said that she is stepping down after nine years on the Weight Watchers Board of Directors. She also promised to give the National Museum of African American History and Culture her financial interest in the weight loss enterprise.

The announcement that Winfrey made caused shares of Weight Watchers to plummet. As per ABC News, the price of the company's stock fell 25% to $2.86 in premarket trading.

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Oprah Winfrey admitted to using weight loss drugs

Oprah Winfrey addressed her decision in a formal statement (Image via Facebook / Oprah Winfrey)

Oprah Winfrey has announced that she has been using weight loss medications and that she is leaving the board of the Weight Watchers. After investing $43 million in the company, Winfrey joined the board in 2015. She has said that she will not run for re-election at the company's shareholder meeting in May 2024.

She joined the Weight Watchers program when she started working for the company and talked to other participants about her experiences. She had previously discussed her struggles with weight in public.

The media mogul's decision to step down from the board now, nearly ten years later, comes as the business deals with a significant change in the weight loss market brought on by the introduction of anti-obesity medications like Wegovy and Saxenda.

Weight Watchers saw a significant increase in visibility when Winfrey joined the firm in 2015. Shortly after the deal's announcement, shares in the company more than doubled. However, the public figure recently decided to step down from the company's board.

As per CBS News, addressing the same, in her statement, Winfrey explained that she will continue:

"To advise and collaborate with WeightWatchers and CEO Sima Sistani in elevating the conversation around recognizing obesity as a chronic condition, working to reduce stigma and advocating for health equity."

The same source has claimed that she said because she has been a longtime supporter of Weight Watchers, she is giving her company shares to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Additionally, Forbes reported that according to a statement from Weight Watchers, Winfrey's choice to give her shares is partial:

"To eliminate any perceived conflict of interest around her taking weight loss medications."

Moreover, she also admitted to using these medications to keep her weight stable last year. However, she did not identify the medications she was using, and her admittance coincided with the rising popularity of medications like Ozempic.

Regarding the same, Winfrey told PEOPLE magazine:

"I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing."

As per Telegraph, she further said:

"The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind."

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With roughly 10% ownership in Weight Watchers, Winfrey is among the company's largest stockholders. According to the BBC, Weight Watchers International's stock dropped 27% in premarket trade on Thursday, February 29, as a result of this statement.

However, according to ABC News, the Weight Watchers Board of Directors reportedly revealed that they agreed with Oprah Winfrey's suggestion to give the museum all of her stock.