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Oprah Winfrey: her controversial weight loss, sex trafficking claims, and multi-billion-dollar empire explored

Following her milestone 70th birthday on January 29, Oprah Winfrey has been constantly in the headlines, whether about her controversial weight loss, stepping down from the WeightWatchers board after 10 years, or her ABC special supporting weight loss drugs like Ozempic.

The self-made billionaire has come a long way, both personally and professionally, since she got her first media job at age 17.

The former chat show star has not only turned herself into a household name but she’s also used her fame to create opportunities for others, including donating millions of dollars of her own money to various charities, alongside setting up her own.

Look back at Oprah’s life and career, as well as some of her biggest controversies…

Rise to fame

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Oprah’s media career began in the 70s

Oprah got her first taste of working in media when she was 17 and landed a part-time job at a local radio station.

One credit short of finishing her communications degree at Tennessee State University, she dropped out of college after she was offered a role at WLAC-TV Nashville, becoming the network’s first black female news anchor.

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Oprah hosted People Are Talking

In 1976, she became a co-anchor on the 6 p.m. news at WJZ-TV in Baltimore. However, she was soon demoted to host the affiliate’s local talk show, People Are Talking, which she later said made her realize that hosting a talk show was the career for her.

Oprah took her newfound passion to WLS-TV Chicago’s morning talk show, AM Chicago, and turned it from the network’s lowest-rated show to the number-one local talk show in a matter of months.

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Oprah got her big break on Am Chicago

One year later, Oprah struck a deal, and the program was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. It went on to become the highest-rated talk show in television history and ran from 1986 to 2011.