Marie Osmond to Replace Sara Gilbert on 'The Talk'

Singer and perennial TV fan favorite, Marie Osmond announced on Twitter that she will be joining the panel of CBS's ''The Talk'' as a permanent co-host.

Osmond has visited ''The Talk'' multiple times in the past, but never as an official co-host. All of that is about to change and she ''could not be more thrilled''. Osmond will replace Sarah Gilbert who recently made a tearful exit from the show.

Of course, Osmond is hardly alien to our TV screens, having entertained us since the seventies with the rest of her family, including Donny Osmond who sent out his own congratulatory tweet.

Marie and Donny are arguably the most popular of the Osmond clan and for a while hosted a talk show on Hallmark of their own. Sadly, the venture didn't last very long, but as the rest of her future co-hosts welcomed her on set in a recent episode of the "The Talk", Osmond looked in fit and fabulous form, ready to take Gilbert's place.

Backstage the rest of the cast spoke with Entertainment Tonight to express their glee at Osmond joining their table.

Carrie Ann Inaba, in particular, couldn't contain her joy, saying, "I'm very excited. She's so wonderful. Every time she's at the table she fits right in. She has so much life experience. I can't wait.''

The specter of Gilbert’s exit still hangs over the show. Sharon Osbourne appeared be hit hardest when her good friend announced her decision to quit. On parting ways with Sara, Osmond said, 'Sara called me to do this show and it's tough, you know, but thank goodness she's my neighbour too, so she's still part of my life.

Osmond will officially join the panel when the tenth season of the "The Talk'' kicks off in September this year.