Julie Chen exits 'The Talk' after 8 seasons
After much speculation regarding her fate at CBS, Julie Chen is leaving The Talk following her husband Les Moonves‘s exit as CEO of the network.
Chen made the announcement on Tuesday in a pretaped video message from the set of Big Brother that aired during the daytime talk show.
“I need to spend more time at home with my husband and our young son, so I’ve decided to leave The Talk. I have been at The Talk since the day it started nine years ago, and the cast, crew, and staff have become family to me over the years.”
Fighting back tears, Chen addressed each of her co-hosts directly with a personalized message. She also thanked viewers.
“Most important I want to thank you, the viewers, for allowing me into your home every day. It was a privilege that I will forever be grateful for.”
Following Chen’s announcement, CBS released a statement of its own:
“For eight seasons, Julie Chen has co-hosted The Talk with incredible energy, grace, and professionalism. Her talents played a big role in our successful launch of CBS’s first network daytime talk show and in the series’ growth into an Emmy Award-winning broadcast. All of us here have tremendous appreciation for the dedication and passion she brought to the show every day and for her generous role as an ambassador for CBS Daytime. We are grateful for her many other contributions, respect her decision, and wish Julie all the best in everything she does.”
Chen took a leave of absence from The Talk following Moonves’s departure as CEO from CBS. He stepped down in early September after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment during his 23-year tenure with the network.
Chen will remain as host of CBS’s Big Brother, a show she has hosted for 20 seasons. Chen and Moonves have been married since 2004 and have one son together, Charlie.
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