Julie Chen Calls out 'The Talk' Co-Hosts: 'They Did Me So Dirty'

Julie Chen Moonves told the story of her exit from The Talk in her new book, alleging that two of her co-hosts demanded that the network get rid of her after sexual misconduct allegations were made against husband Les Moonves. During her audiobook But First, God, Chen Moonves shed some light on what allegedly occurred behind the scenes in 2018, when she stepped down from the talk show just nine days after Les stepped down from CBS because of assault and harassment allegations.

In Chapter 1, she talked about her husband and the allegations made against him."He had a very celebrated career at CBS. A movement began shortly before 2018 to try and merge CBS with a sister media company," she wrote, per Variety. "Now, my husband was against this merger, and it was while he was working against the merger to happen that misconduct allegations against him from decades earlier arose, and that is when he and CBS came to an agreement to separate."

"11 months after he left CBS, the merger that he was against did happen," she added. As reported in Ronan Farrow's New Yorker exposé, Moonves said he was aware of three of the sexual encounters detailed in the article but said they were consensual; Chen has stood by her husband. The Big Brother host described herself as "collateral damage," stating that her decision to leave the show was made for her. She went on to speak more specifically about her departure, noting that "my life and my husband's life was turned upside down."

"I was all set to get back to work and launch Season 9. But the day before we were set to premiere I got a call and I was told with my name and my husband's name being in the headlines and all this chaos, two of my co-hosts called the powers at CBS and said, 'If Julie shows up to work tomorrow, we're not coming in,'" she claimed. "So, I was basically told, 'Please don't come back to work anymore at The Talk.'"

According to Chen Moonves, the decision to leave the show "really gutted me." "I was angry. I was frustrated, I felt robbed, and I felt wronged," she said. "I felt like so many people that I loved and trusted or thought were friends ... wow, they did me so dirty. I was very bitter back then and I am not that person now and I thank Jesus for that."

As for her two co-hosts who allegedly complained about her, she said she has spoken with them since leaving the show. "Truly all is forgiven," she said. As far as Chen Moonves is concerned, she is glad the show is still airing and, having looked back on the matter, feels that leaving the show behind "was not only the right thing to do, but the only thing to do." But First, God is available now.