Julie Chen Leaves CBS’s The Talk After Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Husband Les Moonves

Julie Chen announced Tuesday she is leaving her hosting gig on CBS’s The Talk — nearly a week after her husband, ex-CBS CEO Les Moonves, resigned amid several allegations of sexual harassment and assault against him.

Chen said she was stepping down from the show in a recorded message that aired Tuesday on The Talk. It was the first time she appeared on the show since Moonves left CBS a little more than a week ago.

“I have been at The Talk since the day it started nine years ago, and the cast and crew have become family to me over the years,” Chen said. “But right now, I need to spend more time at home with my husband and our young son. So I’ve decided to leave The Talk.”

She was notably absent from the season 9 premiere of The Talk on Sept. 10, fueling speculation that she was leaving the show. Moonves resigned from CBS on Sept. 9 after six more women came forward to accuse him of harassment and assault, following initial sexual misconduct allegations from six women in July. Moonves has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, calling them “untrue” in a statement released when he left CBS.

“Untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me that are not consistent with who I am,” he said in a statement. “I am deeply saddened to be leaving the company.”

Chen, who has been married to Moonves for more than a decade, said she would stand by her husband when accusations against him first surfaced in a New Yorker piece published in July.

“I have known my husband, Leslie Moonves, since the mid-90s, and I have been married to him for almost 14 years,” Chen said in a July 27 statement. “Leslie is a good man and loving father, devoted husband and inspiring corporate leader. He has always been a kind, decent and moral human being. I fully support my husband and stand behind him and his statement.”

Chen is expected to continue hosting Big Brother on CBS, CNN reports. She signed off Thursday’s Big Brother episode by referring to herself as Julie Chen Moonves, marking a rare moment of using her husband’s last name on air.