Wife of disgraced CBS head leaving The Talk

Julie Chen part of daytime show for eight seasons

Weeks after her husband Leslie Moonves, chairman and chief executive of CBS, stepped down from the television network after 12 women accused him of sexual harassment and assault, as reported by The New Yorker, Julie Chen has announced she will be leaving the network’s daytime show The Talk.

Chen did not appear on the show’s première last week. In a statement to Variety, she said, “I am taking a few days off from The Talk to be with my family. I will be back soon and will see you Thursday night on Big Brother.”

Co-host Sharon Osbourne kicked off the episode with the news of Moonves’s exit, regardless, saying, “It’s a very bittersweet day for a Season 9. We’re about to talk about something that affects everyone’s lives at CBS. I’ve never been nervous in my life, and I’m very nervous right now. As you all know, Julie’s husband is in the news, and she’s taking off time to be with her family.”

Co-host Sara Gilbert also commented: “We’ve been together since the beginning. I love her, I support her always.

“However, this is an important time in our culture, and just because this hits close to home, it doesn’t change the story. All women’s stories, and these women’s stories, matter. This is very serious, and the appropriate actions need to take place. I am happy when women are heard, because for a long time, they haven’t been.”

This week, the New York Post reported that Chen would be making her official exit from the show, but will appear in a taped video message on Tuesday.

Chen will, however, continue as host of Big Brother, also a CBS series, which she has been an iconic part of since 2000. Though, the series finale airs next week.

Last week, in a pointed show of support for her husband, Chen signed off at the end of a Big Brother episode saying, “From outside the Big Brother house, I’m Julie Chen Moonves. Good night.” (Typically, Chen doesn’t use “Moonves.”)

In late July, when the accusations began against Moonves, Chen tweeted, “I fully support my husband and stand behind him and his statement.”

The pair have been married since 2004.

Moonves, who was with CBS for 25 years, has denied all accusations, but remains under investigation by the network.

KEVIN WOLF / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES In this 2017 photo, Leslie Moonves and wife Julie Chen arrive for the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner. The pair have been married since 2004.