Entertainment
The Talk hosts including Sheryl Underwood ‘to make statement on Sharon Osbourne’s explosive exit when show returns’
The Talk hosts are reportedly set to address Sharon Osbourne’s dramatic exit from the show when it returns to CBS.
The stars, including Sheryl Underwood, who Osbourne clashed with during her final episode, will give an approved statement about the turn of events.
Joining Underwood will be Carrie Ann Inaba, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth when the show returns after its hiatus on April 12.
A source said: ‘Mrs O’s exit will be addressed, but that will be scripted and approved by the powers that be to make sure it is phrased correctly to do the least damage.’
They added to The Sun: ‘Sheryl has faced backlash from Mrs O’s fans who blame her for setting Sharon up to look bad on the air.
‘She will be expressing regret that things happened the way they did, but she will select her words very carefully.’
The insider went on to add that Osbourne will be missed on the show.
The former X Factor judge came under fire when she defended Piers Morgan on the show after his comments about Meghan Markle.
Osbourne stood up for her friend, saying: ‘I very much feel like I’m 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? What does it gotta do with me?’
Getting increasingly emotional, she said: ‘I will ask you again Sheryl, I’ve been asking you during the break and I’m asking you again, and don’t try and cry ‘cause if anyone should be crying it should be me.
‘Educate me. Tell me when you have heard him say racist things.’
Underwood explained: ‘It is not the exact words of racism, it’s the implication and the reaction to it.
‘To not want to address that because she is a Black woman, and to try to dismiss it or to make it seem less than what it is that’s what makes it racist. But right now, I’m talking to a woman I believe is my friend and I don’t want anybody here to watch this and think we are attacking you for being racist.’
Many viewers felt that it wasn’t Underwood’s job to ‘educate’ Osbourne on racism.
The 68-year-old later faced allegations of racism against her former co-hosts, which she has vehemently denied.
Most recently, Osbourne has insisted she reached out to Underwood to apologise, despite her former co-host claiming she didn’t.
Speaking on her podcast about the drama, Underwood, 57, claimed that she and Osbourne had not spoken since they faced off on set on March 10.
When asked if Osbourne had reached out to apologise, the comedian said: ‘No’, and scrolled through her phone history to support her claim.
However, Osbourne accused her former colleague of trying to destroy her reputation, and shared messages she purportedly sent to Underwood since March 10.
She told DailyMail.com: ‘I not only sent these messages to Sheryl but I apologised to her in person in her dressing room.
‘Why are you saying I never apologised Sheryl? What are you trying to do to me?
‘Why are you trying to destroy my reputation? Just be honest. Tell me.’
Messages shared with the publication, purportedly sent to Underwood, appear to show Sharon messaging her two days after the show on March 12, and again on March 15 and March 18.
Metro.co.uk has contacted CBS for comment.
The Talk will return to CBS on April 12.
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MORE : Sheryl Underwood says she and Sharon Osbourne haven’t spoken since The Talk: ‘I’m very disappointed’
