Carrie Ann Inaba Reveals Gift Julie Chen Gave Her After Replacing Her on 'The Talk'

By Liz Calvario‍ 1:52 PM PST, January 2, 2019

Carrie Ann Inaba is feeling the love after officially being announced as the new The Talk co-host.

The 50-year-old Dancing With the Stars judge replaced Julie Chen on the CBS daytime talk show on Wednesday, and has received nothing but love and support from the former co-host.

"Julie has been exceptionally loving," Inaba told ET's Kevin Frazier while on set following the announcement. "I have so much respect for her."

Inaba also received a very special gift from Chen, congratulating her for her new role on The Talk.

"She sent me flowers," Inaba revealed. "She was one of the first people to send me flowers and I just have so much love in my heart for her. She's a strong woman, and I know she's going through a lot, and I just send her all my love. I am so grateful for her."

As for her new gig? Inaba says that "it works out perfectly" with her DWTS schedule. "I couldn't have asked for a more ideal situation."

"I've been guest co-hosting for, I think, over a year now," she explained. "Oh, it's going to make me cry -- it got so... I felt like I ran a marathon. Like, since the first time I was on the set, I just felt like I love these women and I have so much to grow by being with them, and I just cried. I actually laid down in my hallway and, 'Oh my god. I actually get to do this for a living? This gets to be my job? I get to come here and be with these incredible women and learn and share with them?' I'm lucky, very fortunate."

Chen left the show in September following her husband, Les Moonves', exit from CBS due to sexual misconduct allegations against him. Moonves has denied the allegations.

See Chen's tearful The Talk exit in the video below.

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