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Why Did Valerie Bertinelli Leave ‘Kids Baking Championship’? The Reason She Was Replaced on the Show
Food Network viewers were absolutely devastated to learn that Valerie Bertinelli would not be returning for a new season of Kids Baking Championship. She spoke out on her shocking departure from the program in early 2024.
When Did Valerie Bertinelli Join ‘Kids Baking Championship’?
In 2015, she began cohosting Kids Baking Championship with Duff Goldman. In 2018, Valerie signed a multiseries deal with Food Network, per Variety. She hosted Valerie’s Home Cooking, Family Food Showdown, Family Restaurant Rivals and made several other appearances on Food Network in a number of other shows.
Why Did Valerie Bertinelli Leave ‘Kids Baking Championship’?
On January 20, 2024, Valerie announced that she was ousted from Kids Baking Championship.
“Without sounding like a drama queen, the show saved my life,” she said in an Instagram video at the time. “Just working with all of those really wonderful people and feeling productive and knowing I could spread some kindness, and not just wallow in my hell and just try to keep my head above water. It helped me, it was like a flotation device. So it really hurts that I won’t be able to go back and see everybody and say, ‘Hey, I made it through.’”
Valerie, who divorced husband Tom Vitale in 2022, added, “I wanted to sleep on it because it really hurt my feelings, and I know it’s not supposed to. Logically, I know that it’s business, budget cuts, right? But it really hurt my feelings to know that I’m not going to be asked back to be on Kids Baking Championship. Really sucks.”
One day later, Valerie spoke out once more, slamming some of the speculation about her departure from the show.
“There were never any talks, so no talks could be stalled,” she said in a post on X on January 21, 2024. “I got an inkling I might not be asked back when I saw I was not in the holiday specials. I got a text by a third party on Friday that told me I would not be back. LOL I was basically ghosted.”
In another post, she wrote, “I have zero ill will toward anyone at FN, I enjoyed every single moment I worked for them, and they are all lovely, kind, hard-working people. And I understand business is business. But I won’t tolerate lies. I am a lot of things, but I am not greedy, nor am I a liar.”
After fans were left heartbroken by the announcement, Valerie’s manager, Marc Schwartz, spoke out in a statement.
“Her deal expired, they opted not to renew it. They could have come to me with an offer just for Kids. They never did. Simple as that,” he told Variety on January 23, 2024.
Food Network never publicly responded to Valerie or her manager’s claims.
Valerie Bertinelli Was Replaced on ‘Kids Baking Championship’
On October 2, 2024, People confirmed that Food Network veteran Kardea Brown was chosen to replace Valerie on Kids Baking Championship. She will join Duff as a cohost in a new season airing in early 2025.
“Having the chance to share my love of food has been a dream come true and I am so thrilled to continue this journey with Food Network,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to celebrating the holidays with fans and celebrating these extra special and talented bakers, big and small, and all their incredible creations.”
Duff also spoke out after Kadrea was confirmed as the new cohost of the series.
“Kardea has been so much fun as a cohost. She is absolutely killing it. She is so good with children,” he said. “She has such a huge heart.”
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