Sharon Osbourne Exits ‘The Talk’

Weeks after her heated conversation with Sheryl Underwood, Sharon Osbourne has stepped away from “The Talk.”

In a lengthy statement, CBS said, “The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home. As part of our review, we concluded that Sharon’s behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace. We also did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts.”

The statement continued, “At the same time, we acknowledge the Network and Studio teams, as well as the showrunners, are accountable for what happened during that broadcast as it was clear the co-hosts were not properly prepared by the staff for a complex and sensitive discussion involving race.”

It concluded, “During this week’s hiatus, we are coordinating workshops, listening sessions and training about equity, inclusion and cultural awareness for the hosts, producers and crew. Going forward, we are identifying plans to enhance the producing staff and producing procedures to better serve the hosts, the production and, ultimately, our viewers.”

The show has been hiatus for two weeks.

Osbourne had been on the show as a co-host for 11 years. She was the last remaining original co-host, as Leah Remini, Julie Chen, Sarah Gilbert, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Holly Robinson Peete have left.

Osbourne’s exit comes weeks after defending her friend Piers Morgan, who slammed Meghan Markle following her highly publicized interview with Oprah Winfrey. Morgan’s dismissal of Markle’s comments has been described as being racially insensitive, and led to him quitting “Good Morning Britain” after he was confronted on the air by the show’s weatherman, Alex Beresford, who called Morgan’s take on Markle “diabolical.”

Sharon demanded of Sheryl, “Tell me when you have heard [Morgan] say racist things. Educate me.”

Sheryl told Sharon, “He doesn’t want to understand how Meghan was treated was racism and then says... ‘I don’t see it as being racist, I don’t believe what she’s going through’ — it’s that white entitlement, privilege that makes it racist upon itself.”

“I feel like I’m about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend who many people think is racist, so that makes me a racist,” Osbourne continued aggressively. “For me, at 68 years of age, to have to turn around and say, ‘I ain’t racist,’ what’s it got to do with me? How can I be racist about anybody or anything in my life?”