“Dancing with the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba is officially joining the panel of CBS’ “The Talk.” Inaba will replace Julie Chen, who departed the daytime talk show in September amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct made against her husband, former CBS chief Les Moonves.
Frequently stepping in as a guest co-host during scheduled absences of other panelists, and often since the start of the current TV season, including this week, Inaba is said to have recently closed a deal with the network that will find her officially seated at the table beginning in January, reports Variety. While declining to comment at the time of the report, Deadline noted the network has since confirmed the news to them.
In a taped video announcing her departure from the talk show in September, Chen said of Inaba, “You’d look awful good sitting in that chair, my Asian sister. I’m just saying!” Despite leaving the talk show, Chen remains host of CBS’ “Big Brother”
“The Talk” panel currently includes Eve, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood
Outside of “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Talk,” Inaba began her American career as one of the original Fly Girl dancers on FOX’s “In Living Color” in the 1990s. She’s also choreographed on shows such as “American Idol,” “America’s Got Talent” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”