Elaine Welteroth is saying hello to new opportunities and goodbye to her role as co-host on the daytime talk series The Talk.
Welteroth, journalist and previous The Root 100 honoree, made the announcement of her exit via Instagram late Tuesday night, writing:
“If you told Oprah-obsessed, 9-year-old me that she’d one day get the golden opportunity to be on daytime TV, she never would’ve believed you. It is an absolute honor for anyone, but especially a young Black woman, to occupy this space on-air where our perspectives are largely underrepresented. And tbh, if you told 33-year-old me ALL it would take to show up as her authentic self in front of a live national audience every day in a world as divided as ours, she probably would’ve been shook lol.”
She continued, “I’m so glad I didn’t shy away from this divine assignment to learn, to grow, to laugh, to cry, to make new friends, to learn a ton, and most importantly, to stay true to myself and what I stand for every single day—even when it was uncomfortable. I joined @thetalkcbs because I was excited to break out of my own echo chamber and join a diverse cast in helping to bridge some of the divides in our world through conversation and empathy. While that work will never stop, as I always say: when the music changes, so must your dance!”
“I’m moving into a new chapter and won’t be back next season, but I will miss my talented co-hosts and crew and our daily #glamfam dance parties in the dressing room so much. Thank you all for riding with me through this journey. Stay tuned for some exciting updates ahead,” she concluded.
Of Welteroth’s departure, The Talk executive producers Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews said in a statement obtained by People: “We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily. Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.”
Welteroth joined The Talk during season 11 as Eve’s replacement in December 2020. Her exit comes nearly two weeks after longtime Carrie Ann Inaba also announced she would not be returning for the new season, and several months after Sharon Osbourne’s highly publicized exit.
Though what’s next for the More Than Enough author is unclear at this point, Welteroth can be seen next in the upcoming season of Bravo’s Project Runway, premiering Oct. 14.