'The Talk' 's Natalie Morales Has Found Happiness In Daytime Television After 'Today' Show Departure

Mar. 15, 2025

“After so many years, I need laughter in my life. I am so happy,” says Morales, who was announced today as a new CBS48 Hourscorrespondent.

As the cameras roll, Morales — who’s the show’s first ever Latina moderator — begins delivering a variety of fun, hot-button topics to discuss, such as lottery winners and adorable dogs.

The mom of two tells PEOPLE: “It’s so interesting because a friend of mine recently texted me, ‘Oh, I was watching the show and I see so much more of your personality now. The Natalie I know is what I am seeing.'”

She continues, “I love hearing that because when you’re at the news desk, you tell the story, but you don’t really ever personalize or you don’t ever really say, ‘This happened to me,’ necessarily.”

Morales joinedThe Talkon Oct. 10, 2021, only 10 days after announcing the end of her tenure with NBC, where she served as a correspondent onToday,DatelineandAccess Hollywood.

She returned one last time to NBC’s iconicTodaystudios in Rockefeller Center in New York City to sign off at the anchor desk she once called home as the first Latina to co-hostToday.

For more on Natalie Morales, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

“Dear viewers … from the minute I stepped in front of the camera and into your living rooms, I knew it was an honor to be part of your morning tradition, the most sacred time,” she said. “With you, I’ve had a front row seat to moments that captured our hearts, moments I will forever cherish as I witnessed history.”

Natalie Morales/Instagram

But with things much lighter than the serious news she once covered for 22 years atToday, she feels right at home finally showing off who she really is atThe Talk.

Another perk to the new job is a later call time that means she has more opportunity to for family bonding.

Natalie Morales and family.

“I never have to get up at 3 a.m. in the morning,” the Rutgers University alum jokes. “If I have to get up at 3 a.m., it’s just to go to the bathroom. It’s so nice. I get to go back to bed and sleep for another three, four hours. That’s, I think, the best part of this whole thing is. Honestly, having time with my family more too because I don’t travel as much as I used to. I’m able to be home.”

She adds, “My kids are teenagers and going through lots of things that teenagers do, so being able to be there to make sure my youngest does his homework, and being able to help guide my oldest son into college, all of that has been key. I’m lucky that I’ve been able to do that for the last year and a half, two years.”

Cliff Lipson/CBS

Not only is she thrilled to see her kids grow, she’s proud of the work she’s doing highlighting her background during Hispanic Heritage Month.

On Tuesday, Morales — who is of Puerto Rican and Brazilian descent — will sit down for an in-depth interview withCamille Vazquez, a fellow Latina and the lead attorney forJohnny Depp.

“It was interesting, because here’s somebody who became a superstar overnight, just about,” Morales says. “She went from being attorney Camille Vasquez on Johnny Depp’s case, but she was one of the team of lawyers, [and went] to being the one with eight billion views on TikTok and having hashtag Camille for president be a trending thing. I think it’s extraordinary. She was like, ‘I got famous for just doing my job.'”

The Talk/CBS

Morales has a lot to celebrate as she ends the show.

Not only is it almost her one-year-anniversary withThe Talk, but she’s just been announced as a48 Hourscorrespondent — all during Hispanic Heritage month.

Morales — who grew up as an “air force brat” in Panama, Spain and Brazil — jokes she may toast her latest accomplishments with a spicy margarita, but tells PEOPLE: “I’m not big on anniversaries, only because I believe in longevity. I don’t look at one year, I look at 10 years. So ask me on my 10th anniversary, ‘How will you celebrate?’ Then I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to have a party.’

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Talkairs weekdays at 2 p.m. ET on CBS.

source: people.com