Howard Stern delays SiriusXM return amid contract talks, family struggles

Howard Stern will not be returning to his SiriusXM show this week as previously announced..

The 71-year-old broadcaster informed his 95 staffers via email on Labor Day that he would not be back on the air Tuesday, despite teasing a post-summer comeback earlier in August, as per Daily Mail. 

Sources described the carefully worded message as “out of the blue” but crafted to avoid alarming employees.

Moreover, insiders suggest Stern’s decision stems from frustrations over ongoing contract negotiations with SiriusXM. 

His current five-year, $500 million deal is set to expire at the end of 2025, potentially concluding a two-decade run with the satellite radio giant.

Additionally, the veteran “shock jock” is also said to be preoccupied with personal matters, including the declining health of his mother, Ray Schiffman Stern, who turns 98 in October. 

As per the outlet, Stern has previously spoken on-air about her struggles with chronic pain, calling it “heartbreaking.”

Speculation around his return intensified after Stern hinted in mid-August that he would address his future on September 2, prompting questions about retirement, cancellation, or contract renewal. 

Critics, including former staffer Steve Grillo, dismissed the buildup as a publicity stunt, while others pointed to Stern’s dwindling audience compared with his 1980s–2000s peak.

Once known as the “King of All Media,” Stern’s terrestrial radio show drew 20 million weekly listeners at its height. 

As per the publication, estimates now put his SiriusXM audience as low as 125,000.

Furthermore, SiriusXM president and CCO Scott Greenstein has previously said Stern will determine the timing of his own exit, “Like many great artists, he’s able to stop whenever he wants.”