Hotel Hell was a reality TV show starring acclaimed chef Gordon Ramsay that ran for three seasons from 2012 to 2016 on Fox. On the show, Ramsay visited struggling hotels, motels, and inns across … the United States and spent a week trying to turn their fortunes around through renovations, staff training, and revamping their food and hospitality offerings. Known for his fiery temper and blunt style, Ramsay provided a mix of tough love, hospitality lessons, and dramatic reveals that made Hotel Hell a hit for fans of makeover shows.
However, after three seasons and more than 30 episodes, Fox made the decision to cancel Hotel Hell in 2017. This left many viewers disappointed and wondering what led to the abrupt end of such a popular show. There were several factors that contributed to Hotel Hell’s cancellation. One was Gordon Ramsay’s busy schedule juggling multiple TV programs, which eventually led Hotel Hell to take a
What Happened To Hotel Hell? Everything To Know
Hotel Hell was a reality TV show starring renowned chef Gordon Ramsay that ran for 3 seasons from 2012 to 2016 on Fox. The show focused on Ramsay visiting struggling hotels, motels, and inns across the United States and working to improve them through renovations, staff training, and more. Hotel Hell ultimately ended up being cancelled despite its popularity and high ratings due to a few key factors.
Hotel Hell(Credit: Fox Network)
The first factor was simply Gordon Ramsay’s busy schedule. By 2016, Ramsay was starring in and producing five different shows airing in both the US and UK, including MasterChef, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word, and Hotel Hell. This packed filming schedule left Ramsay exhausted and overextended. Though he enjoyed working on Hotel Hell, it was the newest addition to his repertoire of shows and took a backseat to his other long-running programs. Ramsay therefore decided to focus his energy on a smaller selection of shows and ended Hotel Hell.
Another major factor was Fox’s changing programming strategy. Around 2015-2016, Fox made strategic changes to move away from unscripted reality shows and refocus their lineup on sports, live events, and scripted series. As part of this shift, Fox cancelled several of their reality/lifestyle shows including Hotel Hell, American Idol, and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. So Hotel Hell fell victim to a broader repositioning of the network itself.
There were also budgetary constraints that contributed to Hotel Hell’s demise. The cost of purchasing, renovating, and revitalizing entire hotels was quite high and became unsustainable over multiple seasons. As a mature show, Hotel Hell was more expensive to produce without providing the same returns in terms of ratings and advertising revenue for Fox. So from a financial perspective, it made sense to let the show go in favor of newer, potentially more lucrative ideas.
Hotel Hell(Credit: Fox Network)
While Hotel Hell performed solidly in the ratings during its 3 season run, the ratings did start to decline in the third season. This diminishing viewership was likely due to the repetitive nature of the show’s formula as well as growing competition within the hotel makeover genre. So declining ratings definitely played a role in Fox’s decision to ultimately cancel Hotel Hell.
The final factor was Gordon Ramsay’s desire to go out on a high note. Ramsay has commented that he never wants his shows to overstay their welcome or deteriorate in quality over too many seasons. With Hotel Hell, he felt that the show continued to be successful but that 3 seasons were a good run before the concept became stale. Ramsay, therefore, saw season 3 as a natural endpoint for the series.
Hotel Hell came to an end due to a combination of Gordon Ramsay’s busy schedule, Fox’s changing programming strategy, production budget concerns, slipping ratings, and a conscious decision to quit while the show was still popular. The cancellation disappointed many loyal fans who enjoyed the entertaining mix of hospitality lessons, hotel makeovers, and Gordon Ramsay’s signature temper outbursts. But the decision allowed Ramsay to focus his energy on other projects and avoid watering down the Hotel Hell concept. While the run was relatively brief, Hotel Hell made a lasting impact and provided a fun twist on the hospitality improvement genre of reality television.
NYPD Blue is one of the most influential and popular tv series that aired on ABC, and the show ran from the early 1990s all the way to the mid-2000s. It is one hell of a police drama if you ask me. With its amazing cast, great stories, and portrayal of New York cops, the show managed to get a lot of traction and a mass fan base, as well as lots of awards.
One particular event that shocked the fans of this show was the departure of Jimmy Smits, who played Detective Bobby Simone. So, why did he leave? Was he fired? Was he fed up? Did he get a bad role? Well, we’re here to explain that, so buckle up for some tv history and trivia.
He wanted to move on (Credits: ABC Network)
Jimmy Smits Role in NYPD Blue
Jimmy Smiths played a detective for the New York Police Department called Bobby Simone. He was nominated for multiple prime-time Emmy Awards and was a fan favorite because of his portrayal of a tough cop with a big heart. He played a calm cop who had no qualms about laying down the law on the bad guys.
In his character story arc, he falls in love with Kim Delaney’s character Detective Diane Russell. The chemistry between Simone, Russell, and his other partner, detective Denniz Franz, was the glue that held the show together all along.
Why Did Jimmy Smits Leave NYPD Blue?
NYPD Blue was a great show, with mass viewers, and in spite of that, Jimmy Smits chose to leave the show after five seasons. The reasons were a blend of career ambitions and creative differences.
A show like NYPD Blue is a long show. It has over twenty episodes per season and takes a lot of time. Smits yearned to branch out, and it’s not like he wasn’t being paid enough.
He just wanted to do something other than play the same cop all over and over. Think of what happened to Julianna Margulies after leaving ER. Well, that’s the same for Jimmy in this case.
Jimmy sometimes didn’t like the show’s creators’ direction in the way they were taking the series and his character. The plotlines, in his opinion, were repetitive, and he wanted to do something new with Bobby’s character.
Smits is a talented Actor (Credits: ABC Network)
Branching Out
Smits wanted something other than network television, and after his critically acclaimed work in NYPD Blue and previously in LA Law, he wanted to transition into cable tv and feature films, and he did.
Since leaving NYPD Blue, Jimmy Smits has gone on to have a successful and varied career in television, film, and theater. You can remember his work in great dramas like The West Wing (1999–2006), Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014), Dexter (2009), How To Get Away With Murder (2016–2017), and Bluff City Law (2019–2020).
That’s not all, and he went into shows like The Good Wife with Julianna Margulies, he played a role in Star Wars Episode II, and most recently in Obi-Wan Kenobi. And that’s not all, because Jimmy also is a theater actor, managing to get nominated for a Tony Award for a play called “The Motherf***er with The Hat.” And even did voiceovers for documentaries and voiced acted in video games.
Wrapping It Up
Jimmy Smits’ five-year run on NYPD Blue established him as a beloved television actor due in part to his strong performance as Detective Bobby Simone, one that helped NYPD become the successful show that it is and inspired other police procedural shows out there.
Though he left the show for creative differences and career opportunities elsewhere, Jimmy Smits went on to have a long and varied acting career in both television and film, garnering praise from critics along the way.
His experience on NYPD Blue was undoubtedly influential in setting him up for success throughout his subsequent projects, making it a memorable chapter in his storied career. Good for Jimmy. He’s one hell of an actor and has a lot going his way.
