Sharon Osbourne tells Maher she’s ‘angry’ and ‘hurt’ after departure from ‘The Talk’

TV personality Sharon Osbourne on Friday said she was “angry” and “hurt” following her departure late last month from CBS’s “The Talk” after a heated conversation on race. 

Osbourne, appearing on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” on Friday night, responded to the March incident that prompted an internal review on the show.

In that segment, the longtime co-host was questioned about her support of British TV host Piers Morgan when he said he didn’t believe aspects of the interview between Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and Oprah Winfrey, including that the former Meghan Markle had suicidal thoughts.

After Osbourne tweeted a message in support of Morgan for “speaking your truth,” “The Talk” co-host Sheryl Underwood asked Osbourne what she would say to those who viewed her support for Morgan as racist. 

The question prompted a tense discussion between the two, in which Osbourne denied being racist, calling it “a terrible, evil word.” 

On Friday, Maher asked Osbourne how she was doing nearly a month after her departure from the show. 

“I’m angry. I’m hurt,” she responded, adding that she is “a fighter.” 

Later, Maher said of Morgan, “He was called a racist and lost his job, and you were called a racist and lost your job. Do I have it right?” 

“You’ve got it right,” Osbourne replied. “That’s exactly how it went.”

“Who’s the racist and why? This is what I’m trying to figure out,” Maher said.

“Me too,” Osbourne responded. “I’ve been called so many things in my life. I am so used to being called names, but a racist is one I will not take.”

Following the incident last month, Osbourne claimed that she had been “set up” by her co-hosts when asked about Morgan, which CBS later denied in a statement. The network said that an internal review “did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts.” 

CBS announced late last month that Osbourne, the last of the daytime talk show’s original hosts, was leaving the program after executives “concluded that Sharon’s behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace.” 

Osbourne on Friday also briefly commented on allegations reported by journalist Yashar Ali that the co-host used racist and homophobic slurs when talking to her co-hosts. Osbourne’s publicist Howard Bragman at the time said the accusations were “lies,” and the co-host added Friday that the reports came from “disgruntled ladies.”