Carrie Ann Inaba‘s leave of absence from The Talk has turned into a permanent exit from the CBS daytime talk show.
Inaba won’t return to the chatfest, TVLine has confirmed.
“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 viewers on such a personal level,” Inaba said in a statement. “I will miss The Talk, but I am excited for the next chapter, both for myself and for the show.”
Inaba stepped away from The Talk near the end of April, announcing via social media that she’d decided to “focus on my well-being. I know you guys understand,” she said in a video to fans. “Health is the most important thing.” She later added: “I hope to be back soon.”
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Per Deadline, Inaba’s departure was the result of a mutual decision between her and CBS.
In a separate, joint statement, The Talk executive producers Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews said,”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. 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.”
Later on Friday, Inaba posted a series of videos to her Twitter feed. “I’m filled with gratitude for this experience and for this chapter in my life that has been The Talk,” she said. (The six-part video starts with the message below.)
Big announcement: Part 1 @TheTalkCBS pic.twitter.com/hZoOk3778a
— Carrie Ann Inaba (@carrieanninaba) August 20, 2021
Part 2 @TheTalkCBS pic.twitter.com/3dxaRDPaFx
— Carrie Ann Inaba (@carrieanninaba) August 20, 2021
Part 3 pic.twitter.com/Tyn8DDRDve
— Carrie Ann Inaba (@carrieanninaba) August 20, 2021
Part 4 @TheTalkCBS pic.twitter.com/tB4QRjnw7b
— Carrie Ann Inaba (@carrieanninaba) August 20, 2021
Part 5 @TheTalkCBS pic.twitter.com/3W2pEhZNpU
— Carrie Ann Inaba (@carrieanninaba) August 20, 2021
Part 6 @TheTalkCBS @DancingABC pic.twitter.com/wpdQaXeUuP
— Carrie Ann Inaba (@carrieanninaba) August 20, 2021
Inaba’s decision to take a leave came after former co-host Sharon Osbourne left the CBS daytime series in late March following a contentious, on-air discussion about whether British TV personality Piers Morgan’s comments about Meghan Markle were racist. In the March 10 episode, Osbourne spoke fervently to defend both her friend, Morgan, and herself from suspicion of being racist; in the process, she frequently spoke over co-host Sheryl Underwood, which led some viewers to criticize Osbourne’s behavior.
The show went on hiatus while an internal review was conducted. When CBS announced that Osbourne was leaving in late March, it added that Osbourne’s behavior “toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace.”
In July, recurring Talk guest host Jerry O’Connell was promoted, making him the show’s first male permanent co-host. “It’s fun, and it works, and we’re going to have a lot of fun,” O’Connell told viewers upon his arrival.
The Talk is currently on summer hiatus and slated to return with new episodes in September.
