Julie Chen Moonves 'gutted' after ouster from 'The Talk': 'I felt robbed'

Julie Chen Moonves, aged 53, has opened up about her profound spiritual journey and unwavering commitment to her husband, former CBS chief Leslie Moonves, in her newly released audiobook titled "But First, God: An Audio Memoir of Spiritual Discovery."

In her memoir, Chen Moonves recounts that her spiritual awakening began in September 2018, a tumultuous time when her husband faced allegations of sexual misconduct and subsequently resigned from CBS. Despite the allegations from multiple women, Moonves, aged 73, denied them, and Chen Moonves believes that his opposition to a merger with Viacom made him a target.

Chen Moonves reveals, "Now, my husband was against this merger, and it was while he was working against the merger that misconduct allegations from decades earlier suddenly emerged, leading to his agreement to separate from CBS." Just nine days after Moonves' resignation, Chen Moonves announced her departure from "The Talk," a daytime program on the network that she had hosted since its debut in 2009. She reflects, "In short, yes, I was collateral damage."

While a spokesperson for CBS declined to comment, Chen Moonves continued to host the network's long-running reality competition show, "Big Brother."

Chen Moonves discloses that the day before the 2018 season premiere of "The Talk," she received a phone call informing her that two of her co-hosts had contacted CBS executives, expressing their unwillingness to return to work if she did. Consequently, she was effectively told not to return to the show.

Chen Moonves admits that her departure left her with a mix of emotions, including anger. She says, "I felt robbed, and I felt wronged. I felt like so many people that I loved and trusted or thought were friends...wow, they did me so dirty." However, she later found healing and forgiveness through her faith in God.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Chen Moonves shares, "Leaving my job at 'The Talk' really gutted me. It gutted my sense of self." She adds that her relationship with God helped heal that deep wound, allowing her to forgive her former colleagues. She notes, "I'm happy to report that since that tough day, I have talked to both of these people, and truly all is forgiven." Chen Moonves now sees the silver lining in what was a traumatic loss, as she gained a profound relationship with God.

Chen Moonves began attending church in 2018 and received her first Bible at the age of 48. In 2020, she decided to be baptized and describes herself as "a born-again Christian." She wants to emphasize that it's never too late to start a relationship with God, saying, "I am living proof that it is never too late to start a relationship with God. I was almost 50, a journalist, jaded, full of pride, ego, and vanity. No matter what you've been through, God is right there next to you."

In other news, there are discussions about Ryan Seacrest's concerns as the new host of "Wheel of Fortune," as he worries about matching Pat Sajak's quick wit.