In an innovative mashup of digital sales and high-wattage star interviews, Oprah Winfrey has been set as the first guest on a new series from longtime TV host Nancy O’Dell and livestream commerce company Talkshoplive.
On Thursday, Winfrey will sit for a live conversation with O’Dell to discuss her forthcoming book “What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing” — which Winfrey co-wrote with renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce D. Perry, who will also appear.
The interview will mark the launch of O’Dell’s channel at Talkshoplive,where she will invite bold names and their fans to interact. Founded in 2018, the platform offers live video shopping in numerous categories. The likes of Paul McCartney, Matthew McConaughey, Alicia Keys, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton and more have used the service to launch books, albums, and other goods.
“Our platform has seen a huge success in the pre-order category, when talent can launch product directly to their fans in a format that is comfortable and engaging,” said Talkshoplive CEO and co-founder Bryan Moore. “In launching Nancy’s channel with the iconic Oprah, this feels like the first celebrity interview of its kind — Intimate, interactive, and shoppable.”
During the livestream, viewers will be able to order the Winfrey book, which officially hits shelves on April 27, and ask questions. A key benefit to Talkshoplive, Moore and tech pundits agree, is the embeddable player which broadcasts video and offers users a one-click buying option without taking customers away from the stream.
O’Dell is a five-time Emmy Award-winner with more than two decades experience. The series is pitched as meaningful conversations with stars about their latest projects, products, and businesses while highlighting entrepreneurship. O’Dell and Winfrey’s relationship began a decade ago when the former was chosen by Winfrey and Mark Burnett to host “Your Own Show,” one of the OWN network’s first primetime programs. Winfrey has granted O’Dell numerous exclusive sit-down interviews throughout the years.
“I always say it’s a good day when it’s an Oprah day,” said O’Dell. “I’m honored to be launching The Nancy O’Dell Channel on Talkshoplive with Oprah as my first interview. Oprah’s words are always profound and I’m looking forward to talking with her about her new book, as I believe it will change the way we see and understand each other and ourselves.”
O’Dell also serves as a special contributor to People magazine’s syndicated “People (The TV Show!).” She previously co-hosted “Entertainment Tonight” for 9 years, “Access Hollywood” for 13 years before that, and has been a contributor for “Today,” “Dateline NBC” and “CBS This Morning.” She is a producer on the Reelz Channel and her latest series is “Sex. Scandals. Crime. With Nancy O’Dell.”
In February, Talkshoplive closed $3 million in seed funding from Spero Ventures. Moore, whose resume includes social media strategy at Twentieth Television and CBS Television, is a co-founder with sister Tina Moore. The platform has released product from Best Buy and Fred Segal, and additional talent including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julie Andrews, Tim McGraw, Jenna Dewan, Kathy Ireland,and Trisha Yearwood.
The Oprah Winfrey interview airs April 22 at 8 p.m. ET on Talkshoplive.
