Top 10 Oprah Protégés

Rachael Ray

Chances are Rachael Ray would have gone far on her tasty recipes and perky personality alone. But the Oprah bump sure didn’t hurt. In 2005 Winfrey plucked the 30-minute-meal maven from the Food Network and signed her to host a daytime talk show. When Rachael Raydebuted in 2006, Oprah invited the “super cook” onto her own show to woo viewers. It worked: speculation now abounds that Ray might end up the chosen heir to the Queen of Talk’s throne. Upon learning that her mentor would end her show, Ray was typically bubbly. “I am going to enjoy every episode between now and 2011,” she said. “There will only ever be one Oprah!”

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