Judge Judy, 83, Reveals Why She’s ‘Retiring from in Front of the Camera’ on 30th Anniversary of Her Hit Show
Judge Judy, 83, Reveals Why She’s ‘Retiring from in Front of the Camera’ on 30th Anniversary of Her Hit Show
Benjamin VanHooseWed, September 16, 2026 at 2:29 PM UTC
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‘Judge Judy’ star Judy SheindlinCredit: Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty -
Judith Sheindlin, a.k.a. Judge Judy, said on Good Morning America on Wednesday, Sept. 16, that she is “retiring from in front of the camera TV bench”
The star recently told PEOPLE that once her Prime Video show Judy Justice ends in October, she’ll move away from on-camera work
Her hit series Judge Judy premiered 30 years ago in 1996
Judith Sheindlin is explaining her decision to retire from on-camera work while marking the 30th anniversary of Judge Judy.
While on Good Morning America on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Sheindlin, 83, confirmed that she is “retiring from in front of the camera TV bench.”
Co-host Lara Spencer asked, “Why? Why now?” to which the iconic TV star replied, “A couple of good reasons. First of all, he was ready,” meaning her son, Adam Levy, 58, who now stars in Adam’s Law, a syndicated court show produced by Sheindlin.
“He was finally ready,” said Sheindlin, adding, “And, you know, I’ve aged pretty well over the years. Reasonably. I look better than my grandmother did at my age, which didn’t take a lot. But it’s time for me to— and I’m still going to be creative, still out there. I’m just going to take the message and put it in a little bit of a different form. I’m going to become the Benjamin Button of court.”
Levy, who also sat down for the GMA interview, shared the advice from his mom that he’ll take as he begins leading his own courtroom TV show, taking on small-claims cases.
“She said, ‘Be yourself and don’t screw this up,’” said Levy. “On brand and direct, yes.”
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He added of his “terrific” dynamic with his mother: “She was there from the beginning giving me advice on how to do the show. And then every case that we have, she always has some input. It’s just incredible.” She quipped, “I have input but he doesn’t listen.” He added, “Well … not all the time.”
Judy SheindlinCredit: Heidi Gutman/CBS
Sheindlin recently told PEOPLE that once her Prime Video series Judy Justice ends in October, she’ll move away from on-camera work. “I have a lot of other things of interest,” said Sheindlin, who is also developing Judyverse, an adult animated series based on the viral AI “Baby Judge Judy” videos. “I don’t want to do hair and makeup anymore, but I still want my message to get out there.”
She added of her legacy: “I don’t have to prove anything else. I did it.”
The star previously hosted her long-running courtroom series, Judge Judy, from September 1996 to July 2021. The syndicated program ran for 25 seasons. She then starred on Judy Justice beginning in 2021.
Sheindlin will be celebrated in the CBS special Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 22, and streaming on Paramount+. Adam’s Law premiered on Sept. 14. Check your local listings.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
