Valerie Bertinelli recently opened up about her unexpected exit as cohost of the beloved Kids Baking Championship. During a heartfelt conversation, she expressed admiration for Kardea Brown, the new face of the show, who has gracefully taken over the reins. The chat unfolded on the Monday, November 4, episode of the Drew Barrymore Show, where the two couldn't help but shower each other with praise and admiration.

A Moment of Reflection

As Drew Barrymore, 49, introduced Valerie to the audience, she fondly recalled her time as the host of the competitive baking series. The Golden Globe-winning actress, 64, chimed in with grace, stating, “And it’s now in excellent hands.” This simple yet powerful acknowledgment set the tone for a segment filled with warmth and mutual respect.

Kardea Brown Takes the Stage

During the lively segment, Kardea Brown, 36, demonstrated her culinary skills by teaching Drew and Ross Mathews how to prepare fish tacos, with Valerie Bertinelli by her side. Kardea playfully revealed that she had learned the art of mastering this dish from Valerie herself, to which Valerie humorously responded, “Oh, stop it, you did not.”

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Valerie Bertinelli Reflects on Kids Baking Championship Exit — Getty

Kardea couldn’t contain her excitement, gushing backstage about her admiration for Valerie. “Oh, absolutely! Look, we’re not going to talk about how much I’m going to fangirl, but I’ll fangirl backstage,” she confessed with a smile.

A Bittersweet Farewell

Valerie shocked fans when she announced her decision not to return to the Kids Baking Championship, citing budget cuts at The Food Network. “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,” Valerie shared in an emotional video via Instagram on January 20. Later in the video, she expressed her deep appreciation for the series and the young talent she had the privilege to work with.

“Oh my God, these people work so hard to give you an amazing show. And all of those kids bakers that I got to watch grow up: I feel so lucky,” Valerie confessed. “And to all the bakers who are coming in for the new season, even though I won’t be there, I’ll be with you in spirit. I just want you to remember this: You are there for a reason [and] you’re some of the best bakers in America right now and if you don’t make it to the next round, please always remember [that] it’s not because you’re not a good baker, you just had a bad day.”

The following day, Valerie revealed that she wasn’t in talks with the network to renew her contract. “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,” she wrote via X at the time. “LOL I was basically ghosted.”

Valerie’s manager, Marc Schwartz, corroborated her story days later in a statement to Variety. “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 the publication on January 23.

Kardea Brown Joins the Team

Kardea was officially announced as the new cohost of Kids Baking Championship in October, and she expressed her excitement 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,” Kardea said.