Discovery Channel's American
Chopper, which started the genre of family docu-soap reality series, will
end its run this December after a decade on the air.
"After 10 years and 233 episodes of incredible, riveting
reality television, American Chopper
will be ending its run," said Eileen O'Neill, group president, Discovery and
TLC Networks in a statement. "This series was one of the very first
family-based reality programs on television. Special thanks to Pilgrim Studios
for over a decade of great producing. The Teutuls have given us really
innovative bike builds and real drama since 2002. We wish both Orange County
Choppers and Paul Junior Designs the best."
American Chopper
follows the Paul "Senior" Teutul and his son Paul "Junior" Teutul as they built
motorcycles and clashed at their New York shop Orange County Choppers. The
series is a strong ratings performer for Discovery, drawing 1.4 million viewers
in its most recent episode, according to Nielsen, and ranking as the No. 2
basic cable program on Monday nights in October with men 25-54 and men 18-49.
The series has had a roller coaster run, first premiering on
Discovery in 2003, moving to sister network TLC in 2008 only to be canceled in
2010. TLC revived the series later that year as American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior though halfway through that
season it moved back to Discovery and its original title.
Chopper will end
its run with the previously announced special Chopper Live: The Revenge bike build-off in Las Vegas Dec. 11 at 9
p.m. ET.
Entertainment Weekly
first reported the story.
