The Talk has had its fair share of shake-ups in the past few months, losing three hosts—albeit one temporarily—for a wide-range of reasons. But easily the most controversial was Sharon Osbourne, who left The Talk in March after making some offensive comments on camera that led to a conflict with co-host Sheryl Underwood. Ultimately, The Talk went on hiatus for a month while an internal review was conducted and after it was over, Osbourne made the choice to leave. Since then, another co-host has taken a break from the show, resulting in a couple of empty seats on The Talk stage. Now, one frequent guest host is joining The Talk full-time. Read on to find out who it is and how they're making history.
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Jerry O'Connell is joining The Talk and making history in the process.
The Talk / YouTubeJerry O'Connell is joining The Talk as a host, making him the first man to do so full-time. CBS confirmed the news on July 14 after The Wrap reported that O'Connell was in talks to join the series earlier this week. According to The Wrap, O'Connell is considered to be the replacement for Osbourne and has reportedly been in negotiations since May.
"It's real exciting. First of all, I want to say, you ladies have been so welcoming to me. I mean, I came here as a guest months ago, and just from the moment I walked in, you're just gracious, you're kind, you're fun, and it worked," O'Connell said on the July 14 episode. "Here we are. We're going to have a lot of fun, we really are."
In a statement, The Talk executive producers Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews said that they're "beyond thrilled" O'Connell is the show's newest host. "We loved his infectious enthusiasm, humor, openness and insights as a guest co-host and look forward to him now bringing those dynamic qualities to the show every day," they added. "As an accomplished actor, devoted husband and father, Jerry will bring a unique and entertaining perspective to the conversation.”
O'Connell will bring something "different" to the panel, insiders say.
Debby Wong / Shutterstock.comPrior to the official announcement, a source told E! News of O'Connell, "He will bring a very different energy than Sharon did to set," and also claimed that he is "such a nice person." Out of the 13 hosts the show has had during its 11 seasons, O'Connell is the first man to be a permanent host.
In addition to hosting The Talk, O'Connell currently hosts the game show Pictionaryon select Fox stations. He also voices a character on the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. First appearing on screen when he was a child, O'Connell is also known for roles in Stand by Me, Crossing Jordan, and Billions.
Three hosts have left The Talk in the past several months.
The Talk / YouTubeIt isn't just Osbourne who left The Talk recently. In December 2020, Eve departed the show after four seasons, because she moved to London and wanted to spend more time with her husband and possibly expand their family. Most recently, in April, Carrie Ann Inaba announced that she was taking a leave of absence from the show due to chronic health issues, with no exact date set for her return.
The current full-time lineup is Underwood, Amanda Kloots, and Elaine Welteroth.
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Osbourne left on a negative note.
s_bukley / Shutterstock.comDuring a March episode of The Talk, the panelists discussed Oprah Winfrey's interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Osbourne defended British talkshow host Piers Morgan's disparaging comments about Markle, saying that he had a right to his opinion. Underwood challenged Osbourne, noting that many people took Morgan's comments to be racist. This set off Osbourne, who thought she herself was being accused of racism, while Underwood tried to assure her that wasn't the case.
After the internal review that ensue, CBS announced that Osbourne was stepping down from her hosting position. A statement to E! News from the network reads in part, "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."
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