Exclusive: Elaine Welteroth won’t be returning to The Talk for CBS’ daytime talk show’s upcoming season as she shifts her focus on other projects. Welteroth joins fellow co-host Carrie Ann Inaba who also recently departed the daytime talk show. Search for new hosts is underway, and I hear the hope is to have at least one new permanent co-host — expected to be a person of color — in place when The Talk premieres its new season on Sept. 13.

“We wish Elaine all the best. We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, and insight she brought to the show daily,” The Talk executive produces Heather Gray and Kristin Matthews said in a statement to Deadline. “Her openness and meaningful conversations were attributes we admired and always appreciated.”

After guest-hosting multiple times in late fall 2020, Welteroth officially joined The Talk as a full-time panelist on January 4, 2021. She and Amanda Kloots became...