After taking a leave of absence in April, Carrie Ann Inaba will be exiting CBS’ “The Talk.” Reportedly, Inaba, who had served as co-host of the daytime talk show for over two years, parted ways mutually.
Whether or not CBS will replace Inaba before the show airs again with all-new episodes in September remains unknown, but “The Talk” is now down two hosts— Inaba, and Sharon Osbourne, who made her exit after defending Piers Morgan’s controversial comments about the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle during her revelatory interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“I enjoyed my time at The Talk as co-host and moderator and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to grow with the entire Talk family as well as truly connect with the viewers on such a personal level,” Inaba said in a statement announcing her formal departure. “I will miss ‘The Talk,’ but I am excited for the next chapter both for myself and for the show.”
Shortly after Osbourne’s departure from the show, Inaba made the decision to take a leave of absence from “The Talk,” citing a need to prioritize her mental health and wellbeing on social media. CBS conducted an investigation into the events surrounding Osbourne’s comments, placing “The Talk” on hiatus until March 29. Additionally, accusations of racism made by former original co-host Holly Robinson Peete resurfaced, who claimed Osbourne complained she was “too ghetto” for the show. During this time, Inaba was said to be suffering from severe stabbing pains.
“Carrie Ann’s authenticity and openness created a special connection and relationship with our audience. We will always be grateful for her contributions here at ‘The Talk’ over the last 3 seasons,” Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews, executive producers at “The Talk,” said in a statement. “Her warmth, wisdom and vulnerability are just a few of her many admirable traits that will be missed. We wish her much success and good health going forward.”
Deadline first reported the news.