Julie Chen taking time off from ‘The Talk’

Julie Chen is taking time off from her co-hosting duties at “The Talk.” On the heels of her husband, Les Moonves resigning from CBS over the weekend Chen, who also hosts CBS’s “Big Brother” announced today that she is stepping away from the afternoon talk show for a few days to be with her family.

Chen told Deadline in a statement: “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.”

Season 9 of “The Talk” began with the 4 hosts Sara Gilbert, Eve, Sheryl Underwood and Sharon Osbourne at the table discussing Moonves’ leaving amid sexual misconduct allegations. 

“I want to say that whatever times I’ve had of hardship over the past eight years, Julie has always been there for me,” Osbourne said on Monday’s live broadcast. “She’s been a friend. She’s been someone who I admire and respect greatly. It’s very embarrassing and upsetting to have to talk about her husband, but we do. We feel it’s right. I personally know Les Moonves in a superficial way. It was, ‘Hello, how are you?’ Nothing more. I know nothing about the man, other than that he’s Julie’s husband, and he was the head of the biggest network in the world, and the most powerful man in TV.”

Co-host Sara Gilbert added about Chen, “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.”

“The Talk” airs live weekdays on CBS.