Julie Chen Planning ‘Big Brother’ Departure, Will Not Return If Show Is Renewed, Says ‘Radar Online’
Season 20 of Big Brother will be wrapping up soon, and fans wonder if host Julie Chen will wrap up her time with the series at that point as well. Earlier this week, Chen bid farewell to her daytime gig, The Talk, but so far, she’s continued to appear on BB20. According to a new report from Radar Online, that may not be the case for much longer.
Radar Online shares that according to multiple sources, Julie Chen will leave Big Brother after Season 20 finishes. The outlet indicates that Julie’s contract ends in a couple of weeks and that she does not intend to renew it.
Supposedly, there is no hosting renewal offer on the table at the moment and Chen reportedly has not requested a meeting to negotiate one. Big Brother itself has not yet been renewed for Season 21. However, despite reports claiming that Chen plans to stick with the show going forward, insiders say that she’s done.
Insiders tell Radar that Chen’s decision is not related to all of the drama related to her husband, Les Moonves, and his sudden departure from CBS amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The timing, of course, certainly makes it appear as if the two are related.
SURPRISE ? It's time for another Eviction !!! RT if you’re ready! See you tonight on #BB20 ?? pic.twitter.com/vavr356Ykb
— Julie Chen Moonves (@JCMoonves) September 19, 2018
At this point, those who say that Chen is planning to leave Big Brother signal that she will announce her departure after the Season 20 finale. As the Inquisitr has reported, Julie has continued to show up to fulfill her duties in hosting BB20. However, sources say that she’s less engaged and approachable than she has been in the past.
For now, it looks like the official line is that Chen is planning to stick with Big Brother. A source told Entertainment Weekly that Julie is staying with the show for the foreseeable future, phrasing that certainly leaves the door open for a departure announcement to come soon.
Will CBS renew Big Brother for Season 21 even if Julie Chen says she’s leaving? This has been a solid season that has kept fans buzzing, and many would imagine that the network would want to do something unique for the last season if they can plan it ahead of time.
Julie used her married name again during Wednesday night’s show, the second time in as many episodes that she’s used “Chen Moonves” after not using it previously. Big Brother fans will be anxious for news after the Season 20 finale airs to see whether CBS renews the show and whether Julie Chen stays or goes, and answers should be coming quite soon.
