Entertainment TV 'Dancing with the Stars'' Carrie Ann Inaba Replacing Julie Chen on' The Talk' Julie Chen departed The Talk on Sept. 18 after eight seasons following her husband and former CBS CEO Leslie "Les" Moonves' sexual misconduct scandal By Aili Nahas Aili Nahas Aili Nahas is the West Coast Deputy News Editor at PEOPLE. She is also the TV deputy in Los Angeles as well as the Weddings Editor. Aili has spent nearly two decades in the entertainment industry and 12 years at PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines and Karen Mizoguchi Published on December 6, 2018 07:30 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Carrie Ann Inaba has a new TV gig! The longtime Dancing with the Stars judge, 50, has been upped to full-time co-host on CBS’ The Talk, PEOPLE confirms. Starting January 2019, Inaba will be filling in the vacant seat left by Julie Chen, who departed the daytime show on Sept. 18 after eight seasons following her husband and former CBS CEO Leslie “Les” Moonves’ sexual misconduct scandal. Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty In her taped farewell message, Chen, 48, gave a shout-out to Inaba, saying, “You’d look awfully good sitting in that chair, my Asian sister.” David Livingston/Getty; VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Inaba had been one of several guests to make her rounds on the co-host panel alongside regulars Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Eve and Sara Gilbert. The dancer and choreographer has had previous experiences as a co-host, filling in on The View, Live with Kelly and Access Hollywood Live. DWTS judges. In addition to her new role on The Talk, Inaba is scheduled to continue to be a judge on DWTS with Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli, a position she has had since the show premiered in 2005. Inaba’s other TV credits include being one of the original Fly Girls on Fox’s In Living Color and appearances on So You Think You Dance and American Idol.