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Carrie Ann Inaba confirms she’s exiting ‘The Talk’
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Elaine Welteroth accuses Sharon Osbourne’s camp of ‘illegally recording’ her
Sharon Osbourne looks downcast after Jerry O’Connell replacement news
Elaine Welteroth is leaving “The Talk” after just one season on the show.
A source told us on Tuesday that, “Elaine is out at ‘The Talk.’ They are expected to announce it today.”
“The Talk” executive producers subsequently confirmed to Deadline in a statement: “We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily.” They added, “Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.”
The move comes after a controversy ousted Sharon Osbourne in March, and Carrie Ann Inaba also recently said she was leaving the daytime talk show.
Sources told us that the infamous race row incident that forced Osbourne out the door at the show was a factor in Welteroth’s exit.
Osbourne left “The Talk” two weeks after a heated argument with co-host Sheryl Underwood that concerned Osbourne defending her pal, Piers Morgan, and comments he’d made about Meghan Markle on his own UK show.
“There was a lot of tension, particularly when Osbourne[‘s camp allegedly] leaked a tape of Elaine comforting her after the incident. People thought [Welteroth] was playing both sides of the fence, and there was a [general] consensus that she threw CBS under the bus,” the source said.
Multiple sources told Page Six at the time that Osbourne camp’s alleged recording of Welteroth was an “illegal recording.” The Daily Mail had published the leaked audio last month of Welteroth consoling a sobbing Osbourne after the blow-up,
“They’re masquerading like it was a ‘hot mic’ moment, but they were not [wearing the show’s mics] at all. Someone in Sharon’s camp illegally recorded their conversation and leaked it. It was the ultimate Karen move. Sharon is the unhinged TV Karen,” one source said at the time.
Welteroth told “Entertainment Tonight” that she was “disheartened” that her kindness had “been taken out of context and weaponized.”
But we’re told the media attention surrounding Osbourne and Welteroth did not sit well with CBS brass. “People thought she was working her own agenda [with the ‘ET’ statements], and the leaked tape didn’t help,” the insider said.
Another show insider told us “it’s not true” that the Osbourne incident and leaked audio were factors in the decision to part ways with Welteroth.
Reps for “The Talk” and Welteroth did not return our requests for comment. Welteroth joined the show in January of this year, after appearing as a guest host. Jerry O’Connell has replaced Osbourne.
We previously reported that “The Talk” is also in search of a male co-host to replace Carrie Ann Inaba, who confirmed she would not be returning to the show earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Welteroth has been busy promoting her other show, “Project Runway.”
“Best [season] yet, coming in hot October 14th,” she captioned a photo on Monday.
“The Talk” will debut its new season on Sept. 13.
Welteroth told Deadline in a statement of her “Talk” departure: “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.”
She also added, “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. 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.”
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