BREAKING. Celebrity friends, crowd of 20 000 people attend recording of Oprah Winfrey's ''Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular''.

The Oprah Winfrey Show (weekdays, SABC3, 17:30) recorded the 3rd and 2nd last Oprah shows entitled ''Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular'' at Chicago's United Center with an audience of 20 000 people in a massive four hour performance that was filled with surprises and surprise appearances for the queen of talk and a number of Hollywood A-lister friends joining Oprah Winfrey on stage.

The two episodes will be broadcast in America on 23 and 24 May followed by the final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show after 25 years on 25 May. According to the upcoming June issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, Oprah Winfrey had interviewed about 28 000 guests on her show with 1,3 million audience members over the past 25 years.

''I cannot believe a coloured girl from the back woods of Mississippi has done all you have done with your show, your magazine, your film company, radio, and your also hands on with your school in South Africa while launching a network," said Oprah Winfrey's partner Stedman Graham, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Madonna, according to Entertainment Weekly talked about how Oprah Winfrey, staying the course with her school for girls in South Africa is motivating her with her own school in Malawi. ''I vow to be more courageous and never give up…. Thank you for inspiring me.''

The A-list who gathered around Oprah Winfrey on stage to talk and sing during the course of the 4 hour recording that will be edited into two hourlong shows, included Madonna, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Gayle King, Josh Groban, Michael Jordan, Patti LaBelle, Beyonce, Dakota Fanning, Kristin Chenoweth, Diane Sawyer, Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Jerry Seinfeld, Simon Cowell, Rosie O'Donnell, Maria Shriver, Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Nate Berkus, Maya Angelou, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin and Usher singing with a full symphony orchestra.

The audience all brought books they held up - Oprah Winfrey's ''favourite things'' that will be donated on her behalf while 25 000 oak trees will be planted on her behalf.