Published: 15:30 BST, 20 August 2026 | Updated: 18:31 BST, 20 August 2026
Jenna Fischer catapulted to fame as 'Pam Beesly' on the beloved series The Office before landing a starring role on the sitcom Splitting Up Together.
But the busy mother of two struggled to enjoy quality family time as a result of her lead role.
Now Fischer is revealing why the cancellation of the show turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
'It was during Splitting Up Together, which I really loved that cast so much, but the hours were so intense,' she recalled during an appearance on the podcast, Dinner's On Me With Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
'It was like 65, 70 hours a week,' she said. 'It was really, really hard, and my kids were very small.
The Office alum Jenna Fischer has revealed the 'intense' truth of starring on a TV series
Fischer said she worked 70-hour long weeks on the series Splitting Up Together
'I just decided after that that being the lead of a television show or even a regular on a television show was not gonna be a fit for me anymore.'
Splitting Up Together ended up getting cancelled, allowing her to pursue a job that provided her with both a steady income and a flexible schedule.
She now co-hosts the rewatch podcast Office Ladies with her former co-star Angela Kinsey.
'So when that show was cancelled, that's when I pivoted into podcasting with Angela.
'And that afforded me a lifestyle with both a steady income and also I was now at every school drop-off, every school pickup, every teacher conference, every concert,' she said. 'I didn’t have to beg someone to go to the Halloween parade.
'I was the agent of my own time, the architect of my own time, so to speak. And that was great.'
Funny enough, the star – who is synonymous with her role on The Office – became known as a 'podcaster' to her children.
