The show’s reps announced the news to Deadline, saying in a statement, “We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily. Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.” Welteroth joined the panel for a single season before her exit after appearing as a guest host numerous times. “It is an absolute honor for anyone, but especially a young Black woman, to occupy space on-air where our perspectives are largely underrepresented,” Welteroth told Deadline in a statement. “It was gratifying to be able to show up as my authentic self in front of a live national audience every day in a world as divided as ours and to stay true to myself and what I stand for.” View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Elaine Welteroth (@elainewelteroth) “I came to The Talk to break out of my own echo chamber and to join a diverse cast in helping to bridge some of the divides in our world through conversation and empathy. I’m proud of how I represented myself and my community,” she added. “But as I always say: when the music changes, so must your dance! I will miss my talented co-hosts and crew and I wish them the very best.” She also thanked “all those who tuned in every day” and said she’s “excited to continue these necessary conversations in my work and to share my upcoming creative projects soon.” Welteroth’s exit came just two weeks after The Talk staple Carrie Ann Inabaannounced her own departure from the show. Inaba’s exit followed a series of health struggles and a leave of absence to focus on her wellbeing.
Who is replacing Elaine Welteroth on TheTalk?
The Talk producers wasted little time naming Welteroth’s replacement ahead of the show’s Season 12 premiere on Mon., Sept. 13: Akbar Gbajabiamila, a former NFL player who also hosts NBC’s American Ninja Warrior and American Ninja Warrior Junior, has earned the coveted seat—becoming the show’s second-ever, full-time male host after Jerry O’Connell replaced Sharon Osbourne earlier in 2021. “It is an absolute honor to be joining The Talk as a host!” Gbajabiamila said in a statement. “In a world as divided as ours, I look forward to showing up as my fun and authentic self every day and advocating for conversation over confrontation.” Meanwhile, showrunner and executive producer Heather Gray said she is “thrilled to welcome Akbar to the family” and that “his engaging personality, openness and quick wit really impressed us when he appeared as a guest co-host last season.”
Who has left The Talk?
Besides Welteroth and Inaba, Sharon Osbourne left the show in March 2021 following her heated exchange withSheryl Underwoodover racism and cancel culture centered around a discussion of Piers Morgan’s comments about Meghan Markle leading to his own exit from Good Morning Britain. Audio later leaked of Welteroth appearing to comfort Osbourne; Welteroth later said she was illegally recorded and that her words were taken out of context “and weaponized in an attempt to absolve responsibility for someone else’s actions.” Next, take a look back at all the co-hosts of The Talk through the years—and why they left.
