Poor Guests & Low Ratings: The Real Reason Steve Harvey's Talk Show Was Axed

After more than two decades on TV, host Steve Harvey is being ousted and replaced by a cheeky pop star — a true slap in the face for the controversial talk show legend!

Well, this is a huge embarrassment for Steve," RadarOnline.com news editor Andy Tillett says on Dylan Howard's podcast All Rise.

"He's a veteran of television and talk shows who's been working on the radio and with a daily talk show in the mornings for 10 years now, and he's being replaced by somebody who's never hosted a television show before!"

When asked why Harvey, 61, has been axed and replaced by "Because Of You" singer Kelly Clarkson, Tillett says the host's recent low ratings were a big reason.

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"He's been axed because the show's been underperforming and, to be honest with you, his guests are pretty poor. The caliber of guests that you would expect on a talk show, leading into something big like Ellen, would be… A-list people — actors, musicians and the like — and he' been getting people in from reality shows and very niche… groups to be his main focus in the show," explains Tillett.

RadarOnline.com readers also know that for years, there has been scandal after scandal for Harvey. Not only has he been dragged into a number of different lawsuits, he's also been accused of sexual harassment, infidelity, stalking, bullying, and cheating people out of money!

"To the wider public he seems like a man who tries to grease his way through things, and doesn't play by the rules," says Tillett.

Harvey's firing scandal comes just as Julie Chen, another longtime TV host, announced her departure from The Talk and sources revealed her possible exit from Big Brother.

"I need to spend more time at home, with my husband and my young son, so I have decided to leave The Talk," Chen, 48, told her audience one day after giving her shamed husband a shout out during her Big Brother signoff.

"It was seen by many as seen the easiest way out for her," says Tillett, adding that now that she's away from the spotlight, she can more easily dodge questions about hubby Les Moonves, the former CEO of CBS Corporation. While he was accused of sexual assault by a series of women, Chen trusts him completely and has put her career on hold to stand by his side.