Sheryl Underwood is ready to move on from all that Sharon Osbourne drama, but first, the (remaining) co-hosts of CBS’ “The Talk” are going to talk about it.
At the top of Monday’s return, Underwood set up a very different kind of hour for the daytime gabfest.
“It’s Monday, April 12, and it’s time for an episode of ‘The Talk’ that will be unlike any other we’ve had before,” Underwood said in the opening. “As you may know, during our break, Sharon decided to leave ‘The Talk.’ We need to process the events of that day and what happened since, so we can get to the healing. Over the next hour, we will honestly discuss what occurred and explore some of our feelings. And we’ll also show you how anyone can become more comfortable discussing important issues and having difficult conversations. By the end of the hour, we want everyone to feel empowered and ready to move forward. So, let’s start talking.”
Watch the video above.
During the March 10 episode of “The Talk,” Osbourne came to the defense of longtime friend Piers Morgan after he was criticized for making disparaging comments about Meghan Markle. Some critics, including Underwood, said Morgan’s words where racially motivated (Markle, whose mother is Black, is biracial), leading to an on-air meltdown in which Osbourne said she felt like she was “about to be put in the electric chair” for having a racist friend.
Morgan had made headlines for saying he did not believe a word Markle told Oprah Winfrey in a recent high-profile interview. During the special, which aired on CBS, the former “Suits” star was highly critical of the British royal family. Markle and her husband Prince Harry defected from their royal duties and status.
Soon after the discussion, CBS launched an internal review into the on-air comments about racism and allegations of racially insensitive behavior behind the scenes at “The Talk.” A few weeks later, on March 26, Osbourne exited the show.
“The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home. As part of our review, we concluded that Sharon’s behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace. We also did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts,” CBS said in a statement at the time. “At the same time, we acknowledge the Network and Studio teams, as well as the showrunners, are accountable for what happened during that broadcast as it was clear the co-hosts were not properly prepared by the staff for a complex and sensitive discussion involving race.”
Today, hosts Sheryl Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth returned to the air with a discussion about race and healing, according to the episodic description. Joining them was Dr. Donald E. Grant, an expert on diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, who offered advice on how to have these kinds of difficult conversations. Additionally, trauma therapist/life coach Dr. Anita Phillips shared her expertise on how to heal after a painful event or conversation.
“The Talk” airs at 2 p.m. ET on CBS.