The talk show world remains buzzing after Sharon Osbourne’s sudden departure from “The Talk.” Her exit followed an on-screen spat with co-host Sheryl Underwood. They argued about whether Piers Morgan’s remarks about Meghan Markle’s comments about her mental health in the recent CBS special “Oprah With Meghan and Harry” were racist.
Now, Underwood has responded with a three-part podcast called “Sharon Walks Away.”
‘Sharon Walks Away’ From ‘The Talk’
On the three-part podcast, Sheryl Underwood addresses many of the issues and accusations from the March 10, 2021, “The Talk” episode that led to Osbourne’s departure. She insists Osbourne hasn’t reached out to her since then. She also said the episode was not a “set up” by CBS executives.
Still, Underwood told People that she expected her conversation with Osbourne, who defended her long-time friend Morgan, to be contentious. Even before they talked, she said her goal was to frame the discussion “in a way that was not perceived as attacking.”
Mission not accomplished. More than anything else now, Underwood regrets that the incident revealed uncomfortable truths.
“Sometimes in life, something happens and you go, ‘Gosh, if I just would’ve…’ There’s nothing I could have ‘just would’ve’ — this was going to happen, out of my control,” Underwood told People. “Sometimes you don’t want to know what you know, you don’t want to feel and hear what you feel and hear, don’t want to accept what you have to accept.”
The Princess Problem
The precursor to Osbourne’s departure from “The Talk” was Markle’s recent interview with Oprah. She discussed her mental health issues at length. She also claimed the institution of the royal family didn’t help her when she needed it.
“I’ve never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere [to get help],” Markle said, adding that she was having suicidal thoughts. “This was very clear and very scary. … I was told that I couldn’t [get help], that it wouldn’t be good for the institution.”
Piers Morgan responded forcefully on “Good Morning Britain” after the interview: “I’m just going to say what I’m going to say. This is a two-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family, of the monarchy, of everything the queen has worked so hard for, and it’s all being done as Prince Philip lies in hospital. They trash everybody. They basically make out the entire royal family [are] a bunch of white supremacists by dropping this race bombshell. They didn’t name which one it was. They just throw it out there, so it can be any member of the royal family.”
In response to criticism his remarks were racist, Morgan stormed off the set of the show he hosted every morning. Shortly after that, he quit the show entirely. This incident led to Underwood and Osbourne’s subsequent blow-up on “The Talk.”
Piers Morgan Returns
Morgan made a rare appearance this week on “Tucker Carlson Today” to defend himself. He claimed to have proof Markle was a liar. He also said CBS should fire Underwood.
“I’m staggered Sheryl Underwood is still on that show,” Morgan told Carlson. “How can you be on a show when you forcibly brand someone a racist?”
This isn’t over by a long shot, and what happens next on “The Talk” and elsewhere is anyone’s guess.
