BBQ Pitmasters was a Destination America reality television series that followed the world of barbecue competition. Myron Mixon and Tuffy Stone, who were the main chefs of the show, soon became household names and well-known celebrities, so why was BBQ Pitmasters cancelled.
The show premiered on TLC in 2009 and ran for six seasons, ending in 2015. During its run, BBQ Pitmasters was one of the most popular shows on TLC, and it helped to popularize barbecue competitions across the United States.
However, in 2015, BBQ Pitmasters was cancelled. There were valid reasons for the cancellation, including declining ratings, allegations of racism and sexism, and the show’s failure to evolve.
If you’d like to know why was BBQ Pitmasters cancelled; read on!
Why BBQ Masters Got Cancelled After Years of Success?
Cancelling BBQ Pitmasters was a huge surprise for viewers all around the globe, who followed the popular show for six years.
Here are some of the reasons this ultra-successful TV show came to a sudden halt.
Declining Ratings
One of the main reasons for the cancellation of BBQ Pitmasters was declining ratings. The show’s ratings began to decline in the second half of its run, and by the time it was cancelled, it was only drawing a fraction of the viewers it had in its early seasons.
Several factors contributed to the decline in ratings. One factor was competition from other shows. In the years since BBQ Pitmasters premiered, there has been an explosion of reality television, and many of these new shows have been more successful than BBQ Pitmasters.
Another factor that contributed to the decline in ratings was changes in the TV landscape. In recent years, there has been a shift away from traditional cable television to streaming services. This shift has hurt the ratings of many cable TV shows, including BBQ Pitmasters.
Finally, the show’s aging audience also contributed to the decline in ratings. BBQ Pitmasters was a show that appealed to a particular demographic: white, middle-aged men. As this demographic has become less interested in reality television, the ratings for BBQ Pitmasters have declined.
Allegations of Racism and Sexism
In addition to declining ratings, BBQ Pitmasters was also cancelled due to allegations of racism and sexism. In 2015, a few former contestants and crew members came forward with allegations that the show had a culture of racism and sexism.
These allegations included claims that black contestants were treated unfairly, that women were not given the same opportunities as men, and that the show’s producers made racist and sexist jokes. The allegations led to an investigation by Destination America, the network that aired BBQ Pitmasters.
The investigation found no evidence of systemic racism or sexism on the show. However, the network did find that there were some instances of inappropriate behavior, and it took steps to address these issues.
Failure to Evolve
Finally, BBQ Pitmasters was also cancelled due to its failure to evolve. The show’s format remained stagnant over the years, while other barbeque cooking competitions and cooking TV became more innovative.
For example, shows like Top Chef and Master Chef began to focus on more creative and challenging cooking challenges.
On the other hand, BBQ Pitmasters remained focused on traditional barbecue competition. This led to the show becoming stale and outdated, and it ultimately contributed to its cancellation.
Implications for the Future
The cancellation of BBQ Pitmasters has implications for the future of the barbecue competition genre. The show was one of the most popular barbecue competition shows ever made, and its cancellation suggests that there is a limited audience for these types of shows.
However, it is also possible that the cancellation of BBQ Pitmasters is simply a sign of the times. The reality television landscape is constantly changing, and barbecue competition shows might become more popular in the future.
Only time will tell what the future holds for barbecue competition shows. However, the cancellation of BBQ Pitmasters is a reminder that even the most popular shows are not immune to cancellation.
Would BBQ Pitmasters Be Renewed For Season 7?
As of now, there are no plans to renew BBQ Pitmasters for Season 7. However, there is still a possibility that the show could be revived in the future. The show has a loyal following, and there is certainly a demand for more barbecue competition shows.
There are a few things that would need to happen for BBQ Pitmasters to be renewed. First, the show would need to find a new network. TLC has no plans to bring the show back, so it would need to find a new home.
Second, the show would need to address the issues that led to its cancellation. The allegations of racism and sexism were a major factor in the show’s cancellation, so the show would need to show that it has taken steps to address these issues.
Finally, the show would need to evolve. The show’s format remained stagnant over the years, and this was one of the reasons for its cancellation. The show would need to find a way to be more innovative and engaging to attract a new audience.
BBQ Pitmasters could be renewed in the future. However, there are significant challenges that the show would need to overcome. If the show can address these challenges, then it could be revived and become a success again.
Here are some additional factors that could affect the renewal of BBQ Pitmasters:
- The popularity of barbecue competition in the United States.
- The availability of sponsors.
- The cost of production.
- The availability of a new network.
Only time will tell if BBQ Pitmasters will ever return. However, the show has a loyal following, and there is certainly a demand for more barbecue competition shows. So, the show could be revived in the future.
Conclusion – Why Was BBQ Pitmasters Cancelled?
The cancellation of BBQ Pitmasters was a result of various factors, including declining ratings, allegations of racism and sexism, and the show’s failure to evolve.
The cancellation is a loss for fans of the show and the barbecue community. Still, it may also lead to the development of more innovative and inclusive barbecue competition shows.
Who knows what the future holds? Maybe the show would be recreated with a new look and even bigger challenges!
