Diane Stupar-Hughes of 'Elliot in the Morning' Is Mourning the Loss of Her Husband
Diane's absence from the show is the result of a devastating loss.
Updated March 17 2026, 9:41 a.m. ET
Many regular listeners of Elliot in the Morning, the syndicated radio show hosted by DJ Elliot Segal and Diane Stupar-Hughes, might have been confused this week to discover that Diane is not on the show. While the show has addressed Diane's absence, plenty of people likely missed that announcement.
Unfortunately, Diane is not on the show right now because she's dealing with a horrific personal loss. Here's what we know about why she's absent.
What happened to Diane from 'Elliot in the Morning?'
As Elliot explained on a recent episode, Diane's husband Scott died after a brief illness on March 14.
"It has been a rough couple of months," Elliot said on the show. "The last couple weeks have been really, really hard. Especially the last week."
Elliot then explained that Diane has been "so strong" as she deals with Scott's illness. Elliot didn't divulge any details about exactly what happened to him.
Diane, who has been with the show for years, continued working even as Scott was dealing with this illness, and Elliot explained that when the show was over, she would go home and back to the world of Scott's illness. Elliot also addressed the future of the show, explaining that Diane would eventually be back on the air. Right now, she's focused on grieving her husband.
"Diane is doing as well as Diane can do," he explained. "Diane's going to be away for a little while. I don't know how long. But if and when Diane's ready to come back, Diane will come back. Right now, she's surrounded by family, friends, her daughter, and as much love as those people can give her. That's what she's surrounded by."
As heartbreaking as this loss was for Diane, it seems like Elliot also took the news incredibly hard, and is determined to support his colleague in any way he can.
Diane's fans are also offering her love and support.
Even as many heard the news that Diane had lost her husband, they also offered their sympathy.
"Really sad for Diane," one person wrote on Reddit. "I know she doesn’t know us, but for 26-ish years it feels like a lot of us know her. Devastated for her loss. Just heartbreaking to suddenly lose a spouse. My heart goes out to her and Marley."
It might be some time before fans get the chance to hear from Diane directly, but it's clear that she's in their thoughts, and that she is going to get all the time she might need to grieve Scott before she decides whether she wants to return. This kind of loss can be unbearably difficult, and it seems like Elliot knows how hard it's been for her.
In the meantime, Elliot in the Morning will continue starting on March 23, and the show will have to find its footing without Diane, at least for a little while. It might not be quite the same show as the one fans are used to, but it will be on the air every morning regardless.