Piers Morgan has demanded an apology from Sharon Osbourne’s US talk show over “disgraceful slurs” he claims were used against him.
Earlier this week, Osbourne became embroiled in the criticism over Morgan’s response to Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. On The Talk, a US show Osbourne co-hosts, she defended Morgan against critics who dubbed his treatment of Markle as racist.
When Osbourne’s co-host Sheryl Underwood attempted to explain why many have interpreted Morgan’s statements as racist, Osbourne became defensive. On Friday (12 March), Osbourne apologised to any Black viewers she may have offended, and said that she did “not condone racism, misogyny or bullying”.
In his own tweet on Friday, Morgan expressed dismay at Osbourne’s statement, and demanded an apology from The Talk.
“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,” he wrote. “This is where we’ve reached.”
He continued: “I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME.”
Morgan departed Good Morning Britain this week in the wake of expressing cynicism towards Markle’s interview with Winfrey, and specifically her claims that she considered suicide amid sustained criticism from the UK press.
Osbourne defended Morgan against claims of racism on Twitter, and subsequently alleged on The Talk that she was “about to be put in the electric chair” for backing her friend.
“I have a friend who many people think is racist, so that makes me a racist,” Osbourne said.
Underwood calmly told Osbourne that the discussion wasn’t about “exact words of racism” but “the implication and the reaction to it” and that she wasn’t trying to accuse Osbourne of being racist.
“I think it’s too late, I think that seed’s already sewn,” Osbourne replied.
