It’s not a total surprise, given his health problems and that to-do last year about his iconic thumbs, but Roger Ebert has just sent out a statement announcing his definitive split from his long-running TV show, most recently called Ebert and Roeper. Ebert still co-owns the thumbs and says he’s “discussing possibilities” to keep that brand alive. The full statement is pasted after the jump.

Thoughts?

UPDATE: This CNN story says Richard Roeper will not be part of Disney/ABC’s “new direction,” and in fact plans to “proceed elsewhere … as the co-host of a movie review show that honors the standards established by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert more than 30 years ago. I will be free to share the details on that program in the near future.” We’ll be waiting with bated breath.

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