According to Yahoo News, Julie Chen has officially decided to leave the daytime talk show "The Talk." Chen was not part of the ninth season premiere of the program she has been with since its inception. The official reason given is that she needs to spend time with her husband and son. Chen has been MIA since sexual misconduct charges were brought against her husband, CBS mogul Les Moonves. The "Big Brother" host gave a statement at that time, saying that she was standing by her spouse and was not going to address the issue again. It would have been difficult, especially given that talking in detail about celebrity woes is what keeps "The Talk" on the air.
They spelled "Fired" wrong. #BB20 https://t.co/h8vLlfojUa
— Boo Richards (@theblade999) September 18, 2018
Chen steps away after husband is ousted from CBS
Julie Chen's decision came just a week after her husband was officially ousted from his position as CEO of CBS. The allegations against Moonves left his wife in an impossible situation. It would not have been good for Chen to give her opinion on the woes of others while at the same time deeming the issues with her husband off limits. At least six women have come forth with accusations and Moonves says he may have acted inappropriately in the past.
According to People, Chen gave a videotaped farewell from the set of "Big Brother," thanking crew members and her fellow hosts.
The emotional exchange is said to have left co-host Sheryl Underwood in tears. Julie, Sara Gilbert, and Sharon Osborne have been with "The Talk" since it first aired. She ended her videotaped message by referring to herself, Gilbert, and Osborne as the Three Musketeers. Several co-hosts have come and gone over the years but these three have remained.
Julie Chen stands by her man
The talk show co-host did not address the situation with her spouse on the set of "Big Brother" either, but it has been reported that last week she signed off using the name Julie Chen Moonves. This obviously was her way of letting the world know that she was standing by her man -- as she previously only used her maiden name, Chen.
There have been no reports regarding what the actress will do next aside from spending time with her husband and son. Moonves and Chen have been married since 2004 and have one child, son Charlie.
CBS issued a statement saying they appreciate the passion and dedication that Julie Chen has given the network for eight years and referred to her as the ambassador of daytime television. There has been no word on who will replace her on "The Talk."