TV

'The Talk' taking break amid Sharon Osbourne controversy

By Karen Butler   |   March 15, 2021 at 8:07 AM
Sharon Osbourne's daytime chat show "The Talk" will be going on a brief hiatus this week. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI Left to right, "The Talk" cast Sheryl Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Sharon Osbourne, Eve and Sara Gilbert arrive for the 46th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Pasadena in 2019. File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI Piers Morgan attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London in 2015. File Photo by Paul Treadway/UPI.

March 15 (UPI) -- Tapings of The Talk have been canceled Monday and Tuesday due to tension among the hosts of the daytime chat program.

Deadline and Variety reported the news Sunday.

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CBS had previously said it is conducting an "internal review" of an on-air discussion between panelists Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood last week.

Osbourne defended her friend, British broadcaster Piers Morgan, who has come under fire for saying he does not believe Meghan Markle -- Prince Harry's wife -- had been suicidal when she was mistreated by the royal family as Markle alleged in a recent television interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Osbourne emphasized she didn't agree with everything Morgan said, but thinks he has the right to express his opinion.

"While you are standing by you your friend, it appears that you are giving validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist," Underwood told Osbourne on last Wednesday's episode of the show.

"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 replied, asking Underwood to clarify how Morgan's remarks were racist and vehemently denying that she, herself, is racist.

Osbourne later posted an apology on Twitter.

"To anyone of colour that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said, I am truly sorry. I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over," she wrote.