Elaine Welteroth Is Leaving 'The Talk' After Just One Season on the Show

She's only been on the show for a single season, but journalist Elaine Welteroth has already made a fairly big impression on many fans of The Talk. That's one of the reasons that some were so disappointed to learn that Elaine would be leaving the show. Now, in the aftermath of the news breaking, many want to know what happened that led to Elaine's decision to leave The Talk.

In a statement to Deadline, the show's executive producers confirmed that Elaine would be leaving the series.

“We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily,” the show's producers said. “Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.”

Elaine's decision to leave is just the latest hosting shakeup for the show, which has been mired in controversy in recent months. Sharon Osbourne was forced to leave the show in March after she got into a heated argument with co-host Sheryl Underwood. The two were arguing about Sharon's friend Piers Morgan, and derogatory, racially insensitive comments he'd made about Meghan Markle following her blockbuster interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Sources have told Page Six that the aftermath of this argument played a role in Elaine's decision to leave the show.

"There was a lot of tension, particularly when Osbourne[‘s camp allegedly] leaked a tape of Elaine comforting her after the incident," one source said. "People thought [Elaine] was playing both sides of the fence, and there was a [general] consensus that she threw CBS under the bus.”

At the time of Sharon's departure, a tape was leaked showing Elaine comforting Sharon in the aftermath of the encounter. Although the video was described as a "hot mic" moment, one source told Page Six that the video was actually leaked by Sharon's camp in an effort to make her look more sympathetic.

For her part, Elaine told Entertainment Tonight that she was "disheartened" that her attempt to act kindly to her co-host had been taken out of context and weaponized.

As the show searches for new hosts to replace Elaine, and Carrie Ann Inaba, who announced that she wouldn't be returning in August, Elaine has already begun promoting the latest season of her other show, Project Runway. "It was gratifying to be able to show up as my authentic self in front of a live national audience every day in a world as divided as ours and to stay true to myself and what I stand for," she told Deadline.

“I came to ‘The Talk’ to break out of my own echo chamber and to join a diverse cast in helping to bridge some of the divides in our world through conversation and empathy," she added. "I’m proud of how I represented myself and my community. But as I always say: when the music changes, so must your dance! I will miss my talented co-hosts and crew and I wish them the very best. Thanks to all those who tuned in every day."