Beloved Australian game show Millionaire Hot Seat has announced its curtain call after entertaining audiences for several decades.

Hosted by the much-loved Eddie McGuire, the show is the longest-running game show on Australian television after it recently celebrated its 2500th episode in April this year.

While it initially captivated audiences of all ages with its thrilling format and massive cash prizes, ratings have begun to decline recently with Seven’s The Chase Australia dominating the time slot.

McGuire announced the show’s end during a recent interview with 3AW and although he was saddened by the cancellation he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to host the game show.

“With great pride and joy but also sadness, Millionaire Hot Seat will go into hiatus at the end of January next year,” McGuire said.

“I want to thank everybody who came on the show those who’ve watched it over 25 years. It changed my life. It changed a lot of other people’s life. It’s been an absolute joy.

“The good news is, the show that will replace me will be produced out of Melbourne and the wonderful staff at GTV who have worked alongside me, hopefully would be a big part of it.”

Fans of the show were left heartbroken by the announcement and flooded social media with emotional messages, sharing cherished memories and expressing gratitude for the show’s impact on their lives.

Nine’s Director of Television Michael Healy praised McGuire and the show’s format as an integral cornerstone of the network’s programming.

“For 2024 there will be a change, but for this year we look forward to bringing more triumphant stories to those who love the show and who play along with Eddie,” Healy said.

“For the past two and a half decades Eddie McGuire has made the show come to life, uncovered the great stories of our contestants and has had the pleasure of handing over thousands of dollars in cheques, we thank him for his commitment to the show over those years and for the shows still to come.

“We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Eddie into the future.”

For now, the show will reportedly continue to air until the show goes into hiatus in January 2024.