Every ‘The Talk’ Hosts through the Years: From Julie Chen to Marie Osmond

The CBS show “The Talk,” which first aired in October 2010, is one of the most popular in the US with several Daytime Emmy Award nominations through the years.

Sara Gilbert, who serves as an executive producer, created it. The show features five hosts who discuss the most recent headlines while giving their opinions “through the eyes of mothers.”

Over the years, “The Talk” has got several changes, especially when it comes to its hosts. So far, 11 women have worked on it, so here’s a list with every host of the show through the ten seasons.

The original cast

When everything started, the original cast consisted of creator and producer Sara Gilbert, TV personality Sharon Osbourne, “Big Brother” host Julie Chen, former Scientologist Leah Remini, and “21 Jump Street” star Holly Robinson Peete.

The sixth member, Marissa Jaret Winokur, was known as the “mother on the street” as she would often interview people out of the studio about the topics addressed during the episode.

Letting Marissa, Holly, and Leah go

“The Talk” suffered a significant change in the very first season. First, in January 2011, Marissa announced that she would no longer work in the show. According to executive producer Brad Bessey, the decision was mutual and “based on time, not talent.”

In August and September of the same year, the show announced that Leah and Holly had been released from “The Talk,” as well. Although the reasons for those decisions were not disclosed, Sharon shared her opinion publicly later that year.

“Some people don't really know who they are, and you have to know who you are when you're in something like this. You can't pretend to be something you're not,” she told Howard Stern on his show.

Including Aisha Tyler and Sheryl Underwood to the panel

For the second season, the show hired actress and comedian Aisha Tyler, best known as Andrea Marino in the first season of “Ghost Whisperer” and Dr. Tara Lewis on “Criminal Minds.”

Apart from Aisha, they included comedian Sheryl Underwood. The group of ladies clicked right away, and things were going smooth until June 2017 when Aisha announced that she would leave “The Talk” when the seventh season ended.

As a way to find her replacement, different women “auditioned” for the role at the start of the eighth season. People like “Dancing with the Stars” Carrie Ann Inaba and former Destiny’s Child Michelle Williams tried, but rapper Eve ended up getting the seat.

Julie Chen’s departure

Even though it was announced that the five hosts would return for the ninth season, Julie didn’t. She officially announced her departure from the show in September 2018 in a pre-taped video message.

Her decision was related to the firing of Leslie Moonves, her husband and former CBS chairman, following a string of sexual misconduct allegations. Carrie Ann joined “The Talk” in January 2019, successfully replacing Julie.

Sara Gilbert stepping out

Fans of the show were shocked after Julie’s departure, especially because she had been a member of the panel from the beginning. However, the bad news kept coming: Sara announced her departure in April 2019.

Sara pointed out that she was not leaving for any drama but because of her demanding schedule as she was not able to “spend as much time with my three kids as I’d like, or time for myself.”

She also said that she would finish the ninth season before leaving. However, Sharon Osbourne couldn’t control her tears.

Although it was shocking, “The Talk” managed to find an excellent replacement for Sara: Marie Osmond.

At the moment, the show is broadcasting its tenth season with Sharon Osbourne (the only member of the original panel), Sheryl Underwood, Eve, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Marie Osmond as the hosts.