Why ‘The Talk’ Decided To Keep Finale Week In The Family And Not Invite Back Former Hosts To Help Say Goodbye

deadline.com:

When CBS’ The Talk signs off for good on December 20, it will be Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood sharing their final goodbyes — not the myriad of hosts who came before them.

Though all the previous emcees of the show will be honored in a goodbye package, it was important that these final episodes be about the current hosts, explains Executive Producer Rob Crabbe. (Founding host Holly Robinson Peete was on October 1 but was primarily there to promote Queens Court on Peacock). “The show at its core is about these five people who get along very well, who enjoy being with each other and get to share their opinions on television every day,” Crabbe, who joined the show in season 14, tells Deadline. “I didn’t want to go away from the core tenet of the show.” In fact, finale week which kicked off December 16 has been all about paying tribute to the quintet.

Each day has brought a new retrospective on each host; Underwood’s will air Friday. “We reversed the chronological order, starting with who has been here the shortest to who has been here the longest,” explains Crabbe. “That was something that was important, that each of the hosts have a real moment in the spotlight.

And we didn’t show the hosts their retrospectives so that we could see their reactions in real time.” Don’t expect any surprise celebrity guests on Friday, though Howie Mandel will “be here as a friend of the show to give the hosts some superlatives that they don’t know about that have been chosen by fans and the producers and the staff.” The audience will be celebrity-free as well; instead, The Talk will fill the seats with their true stars — the repeat fans. “This show has a loyal audience unlike