In case you missed the news, Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba officially joined The Talk this week as one of its new co-hosts, replacing the already exited Julie Chen. Inaba, who has long been a guest co-host on the chat show, had a touching reaction to the news when she got the call. In her words:
I've been guest co-hosting for, I think, over a year now. Oh, it's going to make me cry -- it got so... I felt like I ran a marathon. Like, since the first time I was on the set, I just felt like I love these women and I have so much to grow by being with them, and I just cried. I actually laid down in my hallway and, 'Oh my god. I actually get to do this for a living? This gets to be my job? I get to come here and be with these incredible women and learn and share with them?' I'm lucky, very fortunate.
It is so lovely to hear someone so ecstatic like that about their new job. By joining The Talk, Carrie Ann Inaba is officially replacing outgoing host Julie Chen, who announced her exit back in September after news that her husband Les Moonves was ousted as CBS CEO. Inaba shared her own sweet reaction to learning the news with ET.
The reveal that she cried after being given the news demonstrates how invested Carrie Ann Inaba has been in staying on the daytime show. Another sign The Talk is lucky to have her on it, I'd say.
Given how long she has been guest-hosting for The Talk, Carrie Ann Inaba's transition into being Julie Chen's front-and-center replacement should be a mostly smooth one. The positive relationships she has developed with her fellow hosts can be inferred from her emotional reaction.
It was only a couple of months ago when co-host Eve opened up about how Chen's departure had changed the show. Chen was one of only three of original co-hosts still on The Talk when she exited. In the wake of that departure, Sara Gilbert and Sharon Osbourne became the only co-hosts from Season 1 to remain on the chat-fest, as Sheryl Underwood joined The Talk in its second season.
Until Carrie Ann Inaba joined the show, Eve was the most recent addition, having joined The Talk in Season 8. Inaba is now the newest member of the show, and she sounds more than excited to be there.
Since The Talk took its time letting Carrie Ann Inaba get settled in with the other women, the group has gotten to know each other well. That will come in handy as the panel ventures into a fresh year that will undoubtedly be filled with its share of hot topics.
Based on Carrie Ann Inaba's reaction, she is excited for what lies ahead. Upon the announcement, her new official co-hosts reacted with equal enthusiasm over Inaba joining The Talk. So, there is a lot of mutual affection between the co-hosts.
On The Talk, Sharon Osbourne praised Inaba for helping pull the group together in the wake of the previous months. It is a telling sign that Carrie Ann Inaba is a team player.
Carrie Ann Inaba will have plenty of time to spend focusing on The Talk. Inaba is a judge on Dancing with the Stars, which recently announced it would skip its spring season.
Carrie Ann Inaba has been a judge on Dancing with the Stars _since it began. When the reality competition series eventually returns, she will have to pull double duty, as she can now add official co-host of _The Talk to her resume.
New episodes of The Talk air weekdays on CBS. It among many shows that will be airing new episodes in the new year.
