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When does Howard Stern return live? HBO Max deal reveals major change to his show

The radio show host Howard Stern signed a major deal with HBO MAX with separate release schedules, and a huge change.

Howard Stern will return live to SiriusXM on Monday, September 14, with a new season of 'The Howard Stern Show.' Viewers will have to wait three more days to see the program's new streaming version, which premieres globally on HBO Max on Thursday, September 17, at 12.01 am PT/3.01 am ET. Although both releases come from the same show, they are not simultaneous broadcasts. The HBO Max edition will instead be assembled from Stern's SiriusXM program and released later in the week.

New live shows will now air only on Mondays, with the major change being a reduction in his schedule from two programs each week to one. SiriusXM remains the exclusive home of the complete live show, while Stern's current agreement keeps him with the company through 2028.

The new season also brings changes to Stern's channels and archive. Howard 101 will leave the SiriusXM lineup, and his programming will continue on Howard 100. The channel will add 'Wrap Up Wednesday,' an expanded form of 'The Wrap Up Show' hosted by Gary Dell'Abate and Jon Hein. The SiriusXM app will also introduce 'Howard Stern Decades,' giving listeners access to material from or about the '80s, '90s, 2000s, and 2010s.

The official announcement states, "Each week, Howard's SiriusXM show will be adapted into a streamable episode for HBO Max with periodic extras." That makes the streaming program a filmed weekly adaptation rather than a live simulcast or a replacement for the radio show. A 40-camera setup will record the SiriusXM broadcast before the footage is shaped into the HBO Max episode.

Stern said the arrangement would let audiences see more than the short video clips previously released from his program. "For years, my SiriusXM show has offered only brief video peeks. HBO convinced me to pull back the curtain and let the world watch: the amazing celebrities and musicians who drop by, our staff antics, and my conversations with Robin," he said in the announcement. 

The filmed episodes will retain Stern's longtime on-air team, including Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, and Gary Dell'Abate. HBO Max's official description states, "Each episode spotlights Stern’s boundary-pushing humor, social commentary, and intimate conversations – all with his iconic voice and unique perspective." The partnership gives the show worldwide distribution through the streaming service while leaving its live home on SiriusXM.

The first streaming episode arrives at 12.01 am PT/3.01 am ET, and periodic extras are planned alongside the weekly releases.