Sara Gilbert leaving The Talk, seen on 1Magic and Mzansi Magic, after 9 seasons.

Sara Gilbert will be leaving the American weekday talk show, The Talk, at the end of the current 9th season she announced as a panellist during Tuesday's episode.

Besides being a panellist, Sara Gilbert created The Talk and is also the executive producer.

The Talk, the 9th season of which is currently also broadcast on 1Magic (DStv 103) as well as on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) already lost Julie Chen at the start of the current season when she left following the allegations of sexual misconduct against her husband and former CBS CEO, Les Moonves.

Julie Chen was replaced by Carrie Ann Inaba.

Sara Gilbert is not only the creator and executive producer of the reboot of Roseanne, The Conners, she also appears in it as Darlene. Co-incidentally the cast of The Conners appeared on The Talk on Tuesday's episode that was broadcast on Mzansi Magic in South Africa.

M-Net has picked up The Conners with the first season of the comedy series that will start on M-Net (DStv 101) in June.

In the America episode of The Talk on Tuesday Sara Gilbert said that she will be leaving at the end of the current season because she no longer has time to do everything.

"This is something I have been struggling with for a while and going back and forth. But I've decided it's time for me to leave the show," Sara Gilbert said at the beginning of Tuesday's episode.

"I obviously love it here and this was extremely difficult. Last season I did The Conners and, as you know, also producing here - and I loved it and felt totally empowered. But my life was slightly out of balance, and I was not spending as much time with my three kids as I would like."

"As I've continued on, I'm starting to develop more things to produce, and I'm having opportunities to act. I don't know how I'm going to do it all. I'm was looking at the next six months and thinking, 'There's not time."

"It's difficult because this is a place that I love and a place that I'm extremely happy. I love the hosts, I love the crew, I love our staff, I'm so grateful to the audience for letting me in your homes every day. It’s been such an honour.”

Sara Gilbert said that "I will come back, I will guest co-host - you're not going to get rid of me, I'll be around".

Together with Sharon Osbourne, Sara Gilbert has been the longest panellist on The Talk, with both who started in 2010.

CBS that broadcasts The Talk in America in a statement said on Tuesday "Sara's passionate vision for a forum in which women on camera and off could celebrate mutual support, emotional growth, and everyday achievements was a driving force behind bringing The Talk to air in 2010".

"Her authenticity, compassion, quick wit and drive to succeed led to 9 successful seasons of The Talk, garnering numerous daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding show and Outstanding host".

"We are thankful that Sara inspired us from the beginning and wish her all the happiness and success on her new journey. She will always be family and, as you know, family can always come by for a talk".

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 3 January 2019.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ Netflix begs people not to try, and then hurt themselves, with the new social-media 'Bird Box Challenge' that has gone viral.
It's based on the new Netflix horror movie, Bird Box, in which Sandra Bullock and other characters blindfold themselves to avoid seeing monsters taking the form of people's worst fears.

■ Why Nigeria's struggling TStv dumped Nigeria's NIGCOMSAT for Azercosmos in Azerbaijan.
After Nigeria's beleaguered satellite pay-TV operator TStv dumped NIGCOMSAT for satellite transponder services and is now partnering with Azercosmos as it tries to start again, TStv's chief operating officer, Benjamin Zidah, trashes NIGCOMSAT now slammed as a competitor and something that is "against business sense".

■ Carrie Ann Inaba is the permanent new addition to The Talk seen on 1Magic (DStv 103) and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) replacing Julie Chen.

■ What Netflix is learning from its interactive Bandersnatch episode.
Where Netflix previously focused its data gathering on the ways users engaged with its content - what they watched, when, and for how long - this new data from its first live-action choose-your-own-adventure episode for adults, is indicative of real-world decisions like product preference, musical taste, and engagement with human behaviour.

■ The Hidden Beauty of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
In an interactive story where the character has no choice and the viewer makes all the choices to influence the outcome, the symbolism explained and how to try and get the best and correct ending where the character does get to make his own choice.

■ Bandersnatch: Is interactive television watching the way of the future?

■ EastEnders seen on BBC Brit (DStv 120) to introduce the British soap's first gay bar coming to Albert Square to better reflect London's diversity.

■ It's basically impossible to be a mom in TV news.
New American research finds women's decision to have kids is basically a career-ender if you work in television news as it's too hard to leave at a moment's notice to cover whatever breaking news is unfolding.

■ Is the end of Netflix's golden age in sight?
Netflix is facing competition from content suppliers, including video streaming rivals like Apple and Amazon Prime Video.

■ Thousands of kids continue to get injured - and die - from TV sets toppling over.

■ Attention-seeking Kenyan lawyer says TV channels in Kenya hire women as TV presenters based on their breasts.

■ Netflix censors and pulls an episode of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj critical of Saudi Arabia.
Netflix damages its freedom of expression reputation and dumps an episode from its service that is critical of Saudi Arabia and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

■ Every American TV series that will be ending in 2019.
Goodbye Modern Family, Game of Thrones, Shadowhunters, Gotham and several more.

■ Lost Television: Meet the raiders of the lost British and African broadcasting archives.

■ Lusaka Magistrate's Court in Zambia sentences a man to 2 years in prison and hard labour for stealing a TV remote.

■ S24 starts in Uganda as a new streaming, business TV channel.

■ What Netflix's investment in Nigeria means.
The Mail & Guardian on whether - and how - Nollywood will benefit from Netflix.

■ A lot of the publicists and PR departments of South African TV channels and broadcasters are guilty of this.
The non-TV story of the day: How Donald Trump's White House won't even respond with a "no comment" to acknowledge media enquiries from journalists, and often simply has no response to questions although people are getting paid real money to handle media enquiries.

SABC1 adds Rise from 12 May marking Kgomotso Matsunyane's return to talk TV exploding with rival shows all targeting a female audience.

Kgomotso Matsunyane is returning to television talk with a new local, weekly TV talk show entitled Rise which will start on SABC1 on Tuesday 12 May at 18:00 and which will join an intensely crowded line-up of talk shows all trying to lure the same viewers.

Rise, originally titled Rise Up and produced by One Man And His Dog Films, takes the original format of Barbara Walters' American talk show The View with Kgomotso Matsunyane who, like Barbara Walters, is not only the executive producer of the talk show but also one of the panelists comprising women of different age brackets talking about various issues affecting women.

Kgomotso Matsunyane is joined on the couch by Lebo Ramafoko and Khanyisile Mazibuko (19) and Nyiko Shikwambane (23).

It marks Kgomotso Matsunyane's return to TV talk who previously tried her hand at late night talk with Late Night with Kgomotso on SABC2 as well as Pillow Talk on SABC3. She was a commissioning editor at SABC1 before embarking on her TV talk show tries.

Kgomotso Matsunyane was a surprise guest during the final live episode of Three Talk with Noeleen on SABC3 two weeks ago, telling Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu during her TV farewell that "you know how difficult and fickle this industry can be".

Rise will take place in conjunction with the roll-out of The Rise Young Women's Clubs across South Africa to try and help specifically young women with relevant information about health and lifestyle issues.

Rise will discuss topics like unplanned pregnancy, abuse, alcohol abuse and its consequences, sex and body image.

Rise forms part of  a rapid television talk show change on South African television with the addition of several new shows just the past two months to the already over-subscribed talk show genre, making it difficult for viewers to keep up and to stay loyal to any given programme.

SABC1 just added the American TV talk show The Talk on weekdays at 16:30 which will now compete with sister-channel SABC3's Afternoon Express at 16:00 which starts today.

Afternoon Express will be broadcast on weekdays with Bonang Matheba, Jeannie D, Bonnie Mbuli and one of the final three winners of SABC3's Presenter Search on 3 reality competition show.

The American talk show The Meredith Vieira Show started in March at 14:00 on SABC3, and e.tv took over The Steve Harvey Show on weekdays at 16:30 since the beginning of March which used to be on SABC1.

The recent addition of the new BET (DStv 129) channel with a better aligned schedule for South Africa viewers, means that The Wendy Williams Show, now at 16:35, is directly competing with The Talk, The Steve Harvey Show, Ellen on M-Net (DStv 101), and SABC3's Afternoon Express - in addition to the same-day-as-in-the-USA episode of Wendy being shown on BET International (StarSat 167) on StarSat at 19:00 in primetime.

The Real, yet another panel talk show with various women - Tamar Braxton, Loni Love, Adrienne Bailon, Jeannie Mai and Tamera Mowry-Housley - started at the beginning of April on weekdays on BET (DStv 129) at 17:25.

SABC3 plans to add The Real to its own schedule as well from later in the year.

Shock, pandemonium, as the women of The Talk on M-Net start to scream uncontrollably on live television for 3 minutes following a surprise revelation.

The new season of The Talk, seen on weekdays at 13:00 on M-Net, just started this week in America and the women just lost it and started screaming uncontrollably for 3 minutes on live television following a shocking revelation ...

... The Talk's Sara Gilbert is pregnant.

M-Net is just a few episodes behind in South Africa from The Talk episodes broadcast in the United States, so M-Net and DStv subscribers will see the touching, funny, hilarious and very genuine TV moment here soon.

What happened is that the season started with "Face Your Fears" - and each one of the women getting a turn - one per day - to try and face their biggest fears. Today was Sara Gilbert's turn.

She was supposed to lie on a bed of nails and get another slab of nails put on top of her with a block being broken on her stomach.

That's when she suddenly became emotional, explaining to her co-hosts that she can't do it. And then said that it's because she's pregnant.

Pandemonium ensued. Uncontrollable screaming started as all of the women went of completely off script with the unexpected news that Sara Gilbert's expecting a baby. Watch:

The American talk show The Talk suddenly, finally, inexplicably, started on SABC2 today - but the crazy is: next week it will be gone again.

The American talk show, The Talk, suddenly, finally, inexplicably, started on SABC2 at 12:00 today.

Strangely (or maybe not) SABC2 failed to promote or publicise the new on-air property to press, TV critics and viewers with not as much as a single word communicated about it.

It's completely and utterly insane. 

The Talk's first season is supposed to only have one episode every Friday on SABC2 - but this coming Friday it will be off and gone again after only one episode shown today. 

It's true. SABC2 is showing live election results coverage on Friday 9 May.

Why on Earth start a new show, broadcast only show one episode, then suddenly shelf it? 

Why then not rather keep it and start it on 16 May when you can do it as an uninterrupted run for a daytime talk show which you're already going to struggle with since you only have one episode on a Friday that viewers will have to remember is different when every other weekday in that timeslot it is Dr. Phil? 

How as a programming manager do you run a TV channel and a schedule and an on-air property like this by burning off expensive, foreign content acquired from CBS Studios International with not Monopoly money but SABC licence payers money, and then schedule it in such an erratic and crazy way?

It's no wonder that American and international content distributors have become weary of the SABC.

But very little that SABC2 has been doing and planning with The Talk makes sense anyway. 

The Talk first popped up on SABC2's preliminary schedule a year and a half ago - and it would just not materialise and start when SABC2 would say it would. The day and time would come and then SABC2's schedule would be retro adjusted with other filler or content.

Then, The Talk would be placed back on the SABC2 schedule by the programming department, only to again not start. Several false starts occured - the same as Dr. Phil, suddenly back on SABC2 since this past Monday.

The Talk first season - the season which debuted today on SABC2 - started on M-Net (DStv 101) in April 2011 - three years ago. 

The 4th season of The Talk currently shows on weekdays at 13:00 on M-Net.

BREAKING. The Talk, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, all renewed for another year.

The Talk (M-Net), The Young and the Restless (e.tv) and The Bold and the Beautiful (SABC3) all seen in South Africa, have all been renewed in America by the CBS network.

It means that the two daytime soaps and the American talk show all seen on weekdays in South Africa, will all endure with yet another year of available episodes.

The Bold and the Beautiful and The Talk renewed for further seasons; joining the already renewed The Young and the Restless.

The Bold and the Beautiful (SABC1) and The Talk (M-Net) have both been renewed for further seasons joining The Young and the Restless (e.tv) which had already been renewed as part of a multi-year deal in America by the CBS network.

The Bold and the Beautiful turns 26 this year and The Young and the Restless turns 40.

The Talk has been renewed for a 4th season and The Bold and the Beautiful for another year joining The Young and the Restless for another TV season.

Women of The Talk all go makeup-free (for one time only) for the start of the 3rd season of their talk show in America.

The women of The Talk (currently in its 2nd season on M-Net on weekdays) went completely makeup-free on television for the premiere of the 3rd season of the talk show in America.

The women wanted to do something daringly different since several other brand-new talk shows also started in America all on the same day - such as Ricki Lake and Jeff Probst - along with the return of talk shows such as Dr. Oz and Ellen.

Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Sara Gilbert, Sheryl Underwood and Aisha Tyler all did the show looking exactly how they look when they get out of bed in the morning.

"It really shows that we are willing to show parts of our lives that not everyone is willing to show," said Sara Gilbert. "We really are girlfriends and because we feel safe with each other, we're more willing to show more of ourselves to the public."

The Talk on M-Net renewed for a further 3rd season as all of the current women remain around the table.

The Talk curently in its 2nd season on weekdays at 13:00 on M-Net and following closely after its running order in America, has been renewed for a 3rd seasonwith the same roundtable of women by the CBS network.

Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood and Aisha Tyler will all be back for a 3rd season of the knock-off of The View.

''We're proud that The Talk has already established great brand identity in only its second season,'' said David Stapf, president of CBS Television Studios who produces the show in a press statement. ''Much of the success can be attributed to our hosts' chemistry and the work of our producers, whose selection of topics and guests are clearly resonating with viewers.''

EXCLUSIVE. M-Net talking the talk about The Talk: Why the pay broadcaster decided to add the new weekday afternoon talk show.

You're reading it here first.

Last month I broke the news RIGHT HERE that M-Net will be adding The Talk as the pay broadcaster's brand-new weekday afternoon talk show, and now M-Net is talking about The Talk for the very first time.

''The Talk is not a primetime show but it's new for us and in that timeslot and it's still a great show for M-Net,'' Pierre Cloete, M-Net channel head tells TV with Thinus about the addition of the new weekday afternoon show and why M-Net is adding a talk show and specifically this one.

''We introduced the brand-new The Talk between 13:00 and 14:00 which is a very successful new talk show in America. Talk shows in general – especially in America – are more skewed towards female viewers. The Talk address and caters to women, moms who are home and don't work outside the home, and it's a great talk show to watch if you just want to take a break and want to relax for an hour over lunch at home.''

''The Talk is a great show for M-Net. M-Net is not a channel that focuses on talk shows. The M-Net audience likes talk shows but they like it in a specific way – it's quite a niche audience. So we decided to place The Talk at 13:00 at the start of the afternoon for housewives and moms who are home, as well as retired viewers – they also love talk shows.''

ALSO READ: M-Net adds its own version of The View, gets The Talk as its new weekday talk show from April.

BREAKING. M-Net gets its own version of The View; adds The Talk as the pay channel's new weekday afternoon talk show from April.

You're reading it here first.

I can exclusively break the news that M-Net is starting a brand-new weekday talk show slot from April and has signed for the new American talk show The Talk that will debut on Friday, 1 April at 13:00.

The Talk, similar in format and style to The View of SABC3, started in October last year in America. The Talk will replace M-Net's current infomercials slot early in the afternoon.

The women of The Talk, discuss all kinds of issues ranging from motherhood and being parents to womencentric topics. They are Sara Gilbert (who's also the executive producer), Julie Chen, Leah Remini, Holly Robinson Peete, Sharon Osbourne and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Marissa Jaret Winokur has already left the show in America in January after she complained that she wasn't seen enough. Show gossip from behind the scenes is that Leah Remini and Holly Robinson Peete don't get along. Sharon Osbourne will disappear a bit after a while and will be replaced by her daughter Kelly Osbourne when Sharon Osbourne started filming the new season of America's Got Talent in which she's a judge.

The Talk that has already been renewed for a second season in America also incorporates celebrity interviews.
Earlier this month I broke the news RIGHT HERE about SABC3's massive schedule changes coming from April - one of which entails SABC3 moving its mid-morning American talk show block at 11:00 also to the afternoon at 14:30.