Sony Pictures TV and America’s most popular talk-show’s host, Oprah Winfrey, announced that heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, who was given the moniker Dr. Oz during appearances in “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” will host an upcoming talk show, which will be distributed by Sony Pictures.

Winfrey said the new series, scheduled for a 2009 debut, will allow Dr. Oz to continue offering professional medical advice to viewers in its own medical-treatment talk show. The format of the series is still being worked out. The show will be co-produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television and SPT will also distribute it.

Dr. Mehmet C. Oz is professor and vice-chairman of surgery at Columbia University as well as medical director of the Integrated Medicine Center and director of the Heart Institute at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center.

Winfrey said she believes in the show and Dr. Oz’s experience as a valued and trusted medical expert has already been confirmed.

“We are thrilled to be working with Oprah, Dr. Oz and everyone at Harpo on this amazing project. It's a perfect marriage of independent, entrepreneurial companies and a wonderful opportunity for us to work with such tremendously talented people,” SPT president Steve Mosko said.

As for Dr. Oz, he has this great opportunity to be the central character in a show which allows him to share his calling and passion for a profession he really likes. “Medicine has always been my calling. This show allows me to share the same passion I bring to my patients with millions of viewers every day,” the doctor said. He thanked Oprah and Sony for this opportunity.