Things are officially changing on daytime television. In a major move for CBS, it was announced on Wednesday that Carrie Ann Inaba will replace Julie Chen on The Talk. While rumors of Inaba replacing Chen, who left The Talk in September, have been around since December, the official announcement during Wednesday’s episode of The Talk was nonetheless an exciting development for the longtime show.
Inaba made her debut as the new Talk cohost to much fanfare, dramatically walking out to the big Talk roundtable where fellow cohosts Sharon Osbourne, Sara Gilbert, Eve and Sheryl Underwood gave her a warm welcome. Although Inaba has served as a guest cohost several times on past episodes of The Talk, there’s no doubt the vibe in the room was different as Inaba joined in a more official manner.
In an official statement released through CBS, Inaba stated, “Having the opportunity to sit at the table with Eve, Sara, Sharon and Sheryl has been such an enriching experience, and I’m honored and looking forward to joining them daily. It’s the authentic conversations and connection with the audience and the ladies that really drew me to The Talk. I feel very fortunate to be part of this show.”
In addition to Inaba’s comments, the executive vice president of daytime programs at CBS Entertainment, Angelica McDaniel, explained why Inaba got the gig, stating, “Everyone’s talking about it, and I’m excited to confirm it. We’re welcoming Carrie Ann Inaba to The Talk table. Carrie Ann connects with audiences by being genuine. We appreciate her warmth, heart and vulnerability, and love what she brings to the show.”
It's #2019 let's raise a toast to @carrieanninaba our brand, new host!! #TheTalkpic.twitter.com/GK7xnHZDAZ
— The Talk (@TheTalkCBS) January 2, 2019
It’s not immediately clear whether this will affect Inaba’s commitment to Dancing with the Stars. However, we would hazard a guess she’ll likely be able to keep that gig in addition to her work on The Talk. Her cohost Gilbert currently juggles her role on The Conners along with her position on The Talk, so pulling double duty is possible. It’s hard to imagine a Dancing with the Stars judging panel without Inaba’s wit, knowledge and amusing commentary.
It’s only the second day of 2019, and we already know we can expect more Carrie Ann Inaba on our small screens. That’s a pretty good way to kick off the new year.
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