CBS is briefly cancelling live shows for “The Talk” as it investigates a viral segment where co-host Sharon Osbourne defended Piers Morgan’s recent comments about Meghan Markle.
Osbourne and co-host Sheryl Underwood got into a heated discussion about racism during Wednesday’s show. The argument came about as Osbourne defended Morgan for saying he “doesn’t believe a word” Markle said during her sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. All matters related to the Wednesday episode of ‘The Talk’ are currently under internal review,” CBS previously said of the episode, according to Variety.
Amid the investigation, live shows are reportedly on hold for Monday and Tuesday, Variety added, citing an anonymous source. (RELATED: Piers Morgan Out At ‘Good Morning Britain’ Hours After Storming Off Set Over Meghan Markle Comments)
Osbourne faced backlash for saying that while she doesn’t “like” or “agree with” everything Morgan said, she backs “him for his freedom of speech.” Osbourne added that she’s friends with Morgan, who left “Good Morning Britain” Tuesday amid the drama.
“I’m not racist … I don’t care what color or what religion anyone is,” Osbourne continued as Underwood questioned her comments and suggested that she was giving “validation or safe haven to something … racist.”
After the segment, Osbourne apologized in a lengthy statement on Twitter, writing that she does “not condone racism, misogyny or bullying.”
Sharon’s been shamed & bullied into apologising for defending me against colleagues accusing me of racism because I don’t believe Meghan Markle’s bullsh*t.
This is where we’ve reached.
I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME. https://t.co/kguRA8KVPJ— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 12, 2021
“I will always support freedom of speech, but now I see how I unintentionally didn’t make that clear distinction,” Osbourne wrote.
Morgan addressed Osbourne’s apology and said she was “shamed & bullied” into it.
“This is where we’ve reached,” he wrote as he demanded a subsequent apology from “The Talk.”
CBS Entertainment did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.