Reese Witherspoon has described her role on The Morning Show as "the honour of a lifetime" following confirmation that the acclaimed series will conclude after its upcoming fifth season.

The Legally Blonde star features alongside Jennifer Aniston in the high-profile drama, which delves into the intricate behind-the-scenes world of a breakfast television programme.

Its conclusion marks the end of one of Apple TV+'s inaugural original productions, having received a two-season, straight-to-series order back in 2017, predating the streaming service's 2019 launch.

Witherspoon, who is also an executive producer, said in a statement: “The past nine years producing and acting in The Morning Show have been the honour of a lifetime.

“This was always more than a show about a newsroom — it was a show about why the newsroom matters. About freedom of the press and the journalists who protect the fourth estate, often at great cost.

“Telling that story has been the creative privilege of my career.

“Thank you to Apple for their unwavering support, to our visionary writers, our incredible crew, and our extraordinarily talented cast, who brought five seasons to life with a truth audiences believed every step of the way.

“It has been a stellar creative experience — one I will always treasure.”

Aniston, who is also an executive producer, added: “From the beginning, Apple has supported our vision for The Morning Show, and we feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to tell stories that reflect what’s happening in the world around us with a twist of dark humour.

“It’s been such a privilege to work with this insanely talented cast and our extraordinary writers, producers and crew.

“We’ve become such a family, and we’re all so excited to share this final season. And going in knowing it would be our last, we were so fortunate to craft the conclusion with intentionality and honour these characters the way they deserve.”

Season five is currently in production and features a host of new stars including Jeff Daniels, Jesse Williams, Sean Hayes, Lizzy Caplan and Renee Rapp.

The show was originally inspired by Brian Stelter’s 2013 book Top of the Morning, which detailed the off-screen antics of the anchors of American breakfast TV shows.

However, after NBC fired Today show host Matt Lauer amid accusations of sexual misconduct, the show was rewritten to focus on a #MeToo case behind the scenes at the fictional UBA network.

It continued with dramatic ripped-from-the-headlines plot, including the Covid pandemic, the storming of the Capitol, the Los Angeles wildfires and the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

The final season of The Morning Show will launch on Apple TV in 2027.