Report: ‘The Talk’ Under Internal Review

Sharon Osbourne

CBS is currently reviewing “all matters” related to Sharon Osbourne’s defense of Piers Morgan on “The Talk” this week and the subsequent backlash, The Wrap reports.

“We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. All matters related to the Wednesday episode of ‘The Talk’ are currently under internal review,” the network said in a statement Friday.

Osbourne came under fire earlier this week after her public defense of longtime friend Piers Morgan led to an on-air meltdown and an emotional conversation with co-host Sheryl Underwood about race on Wednesday.

In the run-up to the episode, Osbourne voiced support for Morgan on social media after the “Good Morning Britain” commentator was called out for his disparaging statements about Meghan Markle.

Osbourne then said on-air that she felt as though she was “about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist.” She further pushed back when Underwood, who is Black, attempted to explain how Morgan’s treatment of Markle could be interpreted as racist and sexist.

Osbourne later apologized in a lengthy statement on Twitter, writing, “I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over.”

“Please hear me when I say I do not condone racism, misogyny or bullying,” she wrote. “I should have been more specific about that in my tweet. I will always support freedom of speech, but now I see how I unintentionally didn’t make that clear distinction.”

For his part, Morgan said Osbourne was “shamed and bullied” into walking back her comments and called for an apology from the other “The Talk” co-hosts on behalf of himself, citing their “disgraceful slurs against ME.”