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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Sharon Osbourne says she was treated with ketamine injections to cope amid royal racism row

Sharon Osbourne has revealed that she was injected with ketamine as part of her therapy to overcome trauma she experienced leaving The Talk last year.

At the time, the 69-year-old controversially exited the US talk show over alleged comments she made about race when defending Piers Morgan’s criticism of Meghan Markle following her and Prince Harry’s Oprah Winfrey interview.

Osbourne found herself in the middle of a social media frenzy as viewers accused her of racism after defending her close friend’s remarks during a heated debate with co-host Sheryl Underwood.

The British star was also accused of making a racial slur at colleague Julie Chen – something Osbourne has vehemently denied.

The chat show was then taken off the air to investigate the incident. Shortly after CBS confirmed the TV personality’s departure from the show, which she appeared on from 2010.

And now Obsourne has revealed that she spent eight months being injected three times a week with ketamine to overcome the trauma of the controversy.

Sharon Osbourne, pictured with husband Ozzy, was injected with ketamine to help cope after traumatic TV exit (PA Archive)

Ketamine is a medication that medics use as an anaesthetic for loss of consciousness but is also used in some cases to treat depression and effects include sedation and reduced sense of pain.

Discussing her intensive therapy, she shared, as reported by the Daily Star: "Three days a week, I would go in for two-and-a-half hours and I would have this treatment called ketamine treatment.

"It’s something that they inject into you and it’s sort of like a truth drug."

Osbourne added that the confrontation left her and her family feigning death threats: "Because I supported Piers, I was branded a racist.

Her time on The Talk came to a crescendo during a heated exchange with co-host Sheryl Underwood (CBS)

"I had all these nutcases threatening me saying they were coming in the night to cut my throat, my husband’s throat and cut my animals up."

In the midst of the furore, the TV personality took to social media to issue an apology over her behaviour on The Talk, writing: “anyone of colour that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused, or let down by what I said.”

Osbourne added that she had "allowed my fear and horror of being accused of being racist take over".

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