Desus and Mero are splitting up and ending Showtime programme

Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, a comedy duo who helm the popular Bodega Boys podcast and their self-titled Showtime programme, have announced they are splitting.

A tweet on their TV show's official account confirmed that Daniel Baker and Joel Martinez, aka Desus and Mero, respectively, will be "pursuing separate creative endeavors moving forward".

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Showtime broadcast 180 episodes of Desus and Mero. Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, artists like Missy Elliott, noname, Lil Nas X, and Vince Staples, and celebrities such as Denzel Washington all featured.

A statement issued by Showtime on Monday (July 18) evening said: "Desus Nice and The Kid Mero will be pursuing separate creative endeavors moving forward. Showtime’s late-night talk show Desus & Mero will not be returning for a fifth season. Its final episode aired Thursday, June 23."

Desus and Mero first met in the Bronx as teens and bonded over the New York Yankees and 90s hip hop.

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The pair's Showtime programme is the third series that they co-host together. The other two are Complex TV’s Desus vs. Mero podcast and Bodega Boys, and a VICELAND show from 2016 to 2018.

After several days of rumours, Showtime finally confirmed their situation. The podcast had essentially been abandoned by the time the TV show ended its run after only 15 episodes (previous seasons had more than 50 episodes).

The two would joke and chat about the biggest news events of the week while frequently bringing famous guests onto their Showtime programme.

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“They have been brilliant hosts, and we wish them the best, along with the team at JAX Media and the incredible crew,” a spokesperson from Showtime said in a statement to Rolling Stone.

Josh Gondelman, the show's executive producer and head writer, thanked the several crew members who contributed to Desus and Mero over the years in a lengthy Twitter thread.

“I’m sad not to get to help make this show anymore, but on top of that, I’m grateful for the experience of working with this amazing team, which was incredible across the whole office!!!”

Fans of the duo have been expressing their sadness on social media. Their fanbase, dubbed the 'Bodega Hive', have been posting memes online.

Dani Kwateng said on Twitter: "Been watching Desus and Mero since their pre-Complex days. They truly made their mark on popular culture and comedic commentary. Nothing lasts forever but I’m sooo glad we got them as a unit for these many years."

Charlene tweeted: "Desus and Mero got me through some things and they don’t even know it."

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Aneesa Ahmed is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter