Elaine Welteroth Exits ‘The Talk’

A week after Carrie Ann Inaba bid farewell to “The Talk,” Elaine Welteroth is following suit!

Deadline reports Welteroth is exiting the show to focus on her other endeavors.

“The Talk” executive producers Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews confirmed her departure in a statement, saying, “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.”

In her own statement, Elaine said, “It is an absolute honor for anyone, but especially a young Black woman, to occupy space on-air where our perspectives are largely underrepresented. “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.”

“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,” Welteroth continued. “I’m proud of how I represented myself and my community. 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. Thanks to all those who tuned in every day.  I’m excited to continue these necessary conversations in my work and to share my upcoming creative projects soon.”

Elaine was a co-host for “The Talk” for less than a year. She joined the panel permanently in January.

Earlier this month, Carrie announced that she was stepping away from the show after an extended leave of absence. In a statement, she said, “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. I will miss ‘The Talk,’ but I am excited for the next chapter both for myself and for the show.”

In a series of Instagram videos, Carrie Ann revealed that it was a “mutual” decision to part ways after three seasons.

A few months ago, Sharon Osbourne left the show after facing major backlash for her heated debate with Sheryl Underwood.

In a lengthy statement, CBS said, “The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home. As part of our review, we concluded that Sharon’s behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace. We also did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts.”

The statement continued, “At the same time, we acknowledge the Network and Studio teams, as well as the showrunners, are accountable for what happened during that broadcast as it was clear the co-hosts were not properly prepared by the staff for a complex and sensitive discussion involving race.”

It concluded, “During this week’s hiatus, we are coordinating workshops, listening sessions and training about equity, inclusion and cultural awareness for the hosts, producers and crew. Going forward, we are identifying plans to enhance the producing staff and producing procedures to better serve the hosts, the production and, ultimately, our viewers.”