Sharon Osbourne has given her first TV interview since leaving The Talk last month.
Osbourne left her role as co-host on the US chat show last month following an on-air debate about racism with her co-host Sheryl Underwood, prompting allegations of racism against her.
Telling her story of her exit for the first time in an interview with Bill Maher on HBO‘s Real Time with Bill Maher yesterday (April 16), Osbourne said she will “not take” being labelled a racist.
“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,” she told Maher.
“I’m going to be just fine, I’m fine, as I said I’m a fighter, I’m fine,” she added. “It’s not fair, because it isn’t about being a racist. It’s about maybe about not knowing what is correct and woke for your language that day, cause it changes from day to day.”
"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." – @MrsSOsbourne #RealTime pic.twitter.com/Wek5Iwqhxy
— Real Time with Bill Maher (@RealTimers) April 17, 2021
According to The Talk‘s network CBS, Osbourne decided to leave the show after a review into the March 10 episode. The review found in part that her behaviour towards her co-hosts “did not align with our values for a respectful workplace”.
Underwood accused Osbourne of giving “validation” to “racist views” in her support of Piers Morgan after the former Good Morning Britain host said he did not believe Meghan Markle’s revelation in a recent high-profile Oprah Winfrey interview that she once had suicidal thoughts.
Osbourne reacted strongly to Underwood’s accusations, saying that she felt she was “about to be put in the electric chair”.
Following Sharon’s exit from The Talk, CBS released a statement via Deadline, which read: “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 behaviour 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.”
The Talk went on hiatus following Osbourne’s exit, and resumed broadcasting this week (April 12).
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