America's most famous film critic Roger Ebert and his regular co-host Richard Roeper are leaving their movie review show which first began airing in 1975 with Ebert and the late Gene Siskel.

Ebert and ABC have been engaged in difficult contract renegotiations for the past year and its been revealed that the departure is mainly due to ABC wanting to take the show in a more "Entertainment Tonight"-style gossip direction.

Their departure, taking place in mid-August, leaves the program's future unclear.