Following last week’s heated argument on The Talk about Piers Morgan and his incessant criticism of Meghan Markle, CBS is now putting the daytime talk show briefly on hiatus in order that the network can “conduct an internal review,†per TVLine. The show’s Monday and Tuesday episodes have been canceled, but the show is reportedly scheduled to resume filming on Wednesday, March 17.
The decision follows last Wednesday’s dispute between Sharon Osbourne and co-host Sheryl Underwood about Piers Morgan over whether the British TV personality had been racist toward Meghan Markle during his years of public criticism of the actress, who is wife to Prince Harry. Telling Underwood, “Don’t try and cry, ’cause if anyone should be crying, it should be me,†Osbourne fervently defended Morgan, whom she is friends with, on The Talk and on Twitter, but later issued an apology. “I panicked, felt blinded, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over,†she wrote. “Please hear me when I say I do not condone racism, misogyny or bulling.â€
Meanwhile, former Talk co-host Holly Robinson Peete, in response to her apology, accused Osbourne of racist treatment toward her, and implied Osbourne had a hand in Peete’s dismissal from the show. “I’m old enough to remember when Sharon complained that I was too ‘ghetto’ for #TheTalk…then I was gone,†the actress tweeted. “I bring this up now bc I was mortified watching the disrespectful condescending tone she took w/ her cohost who remained calm & respectful because…she HAD to.â€
On Saturday, Osbourne denied Peete’s allegation on Twitter. “Never in my life did I utter the words that Holly was “too ghetto†to be on the Talk, as well as not having her fired,†she tweeted, along with a screengrab of an email, allegedly from Peete, seemingly placing the blame for her dismissal at the feet of their then-co-host Julie Chen, wife of disgraced former CBS CEO Les Moonves.