Natalie Morales is officially joining CBS daytime show, The Talk, after announcing her departure from NBC News last week!
On Monday, October 4th, The Talk confirmed that Morales will be joining the show alongside current hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Jerry O’Connell, and Sheryl Underwood. It looks like The Talk is making some real changes this year, as Morales’ arrival follows the recent departure of Sharon Osbourne, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Elaine Welteroth, who all left earlier this year. If you can remember, Osbourne left back in March after receiving backlash for defending her friend Piers Morgan’s controversial comments about Meghan Markle, while Inaba announced her departure in August due to ongoing health issues. Welteroth revealed that she would also be leaving the show shortly after. Naturally, Morales was thrilled to be joining The Talk, and said she “can’t wait to get going.”
“It’s an extraordinary opportunity to be joining this team at ‘The Talk,” the 49-year-old former West coast anchor of Today said in a statement. “I love the new energy and direction and couldn’t be more excited to join Sheryl, Amanda, Jerry and Akbar. I’m looking forward to many good times while talking about the days’ topics, and I can’t wait to get going.”
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Morales has been at NBC News for an extraordinary 22 years, and Today for an equally impressive 15. She became an official correspondent for Dateline back in 2020, and will still appear on the show until the end of the year. She reportedly told her colleagues that she was leaving to "pursue a new adventure" on Friday, October 1st. Did she already know she was joining The Talk before announcing her departure, we wonder?
"How do you begin to say thank you for 22 amazing years?" Morales wrote in an emotional farewell note to her NBC colleagues last week. "I struggle to find the right words and there are way too many people I need to thank for a wonderful career at NBC News," she continued, while also reflecting on her "golden tickets" in reference to her jobs at Today and Dateline. "Never in a million years did I imagine this when I dreamed of what I wanted to be when I grew up!" she added.
Morales' journey at CBS will officially start on Monday, October 11th – we're really excited to see what she will bring to The Talk!
