EXCLUSIVE: The Talk will have new leadership.
Kristin Matthews, who serves as showrunner and exec producer on the CBS daytime series, is leaving after nearly three years in charge. She helped launch the show as coordinating producer in August 2010.
She took the top job in September 2020, initially shared with another The Talk veteran Heather Gray, who died in 2022 after battling “an unforgiving disease”.
Matthews was named co-exec producer in August 2012, two years after launch and she earned two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment in 2016 and 2018.
Prior to joining The Talk, she was a producer at The Early Show at CBS News and previously worked at NBC Nightly News and Today.
CBS is expected to reveal her replacement soon.
The move comes as The Talk was hit by the writers strike after production on original episodes stopped after the writers put down pens.
In March, the show, which is in its 13th season and is hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Jerry O’Connell, Natalie Morales and Sheryl Underwood, scored its most-watched week in over a year, thanks to the cast of The Young and The Restless, which came on for five days to honor the 50th anniversary of the soap opera.
Kristin Matthews said, “After 13 years, the time was right for me to make a change and I won’t be returning next season. I helped launch The Talk in 2010 and I am so proud of all that we have accomplished with the show over the past 13 seasons. We have worked together to achieve so much success, laughter, ratings, Emmys, love and tears — everything you can experience producing over 2,500 episodes. I’m truly grateful to the incredible team I’ve had the opportunity to lead as well as all the outstanding staff, crew and hosts I’ve worked with during my time on the show.
“Kristin Matthews’ significant contributions have been pivotal to the success of The Talk since the show launched 13 seasons ago” added Amy Reisenbach, President, CBS Entertainment.
David Stapf, President, CBS Studios, said, “She has been a trusted leader, collaborator and creative talent who has helped make the show an award-winning series on CBS’ top rated daytime lineup. We’ll be forever grateful to her.”
