Sharon Osbourne reveals messages that prove she apologized to Sheryl Underwood after her former co-host claimed she didn't say sorry for their on-air dust up over her defense of Piers Morgan
- Sharon Osbourne, 68, left The Talk late last month after she and Sheryl Underwood, 57, engaged in an explosive debate on air
- Underwood attacked Osbourne for defending her friend Piers Morgan's criticism of Meghan Markle
- Underwood addressed the drama publicly for the first time on her podcast this week and claimed Osbourne never apologized to her for the dust-up
- On Tuesday Osbourne debunked that claim by releasing screenshots of the lengthy text messages she sent to Underwood asking to patch things up
- 'I not only sent these messages to Sheryl but I apologized to her in person in her dressing room,' Osbourne told DailyMail.com.
- 'Why are you saying I never apologized Sheryl? What are you trying to do to me?' Osbourne added. 'Why are you trying to destroy my reputation?' Sharon Osbourne has refuted former The Talk co-host Sheryl Underwood's claim that she never apologized after their on-air row by revealing exclusive screenshots of her text messages to DailyMail.com.
Osbourne, 68, left The Talk late last month after she and Underwood, 57, engaged in an explosive debate over her defense of her friend Piers Morgan's criticism of Meghan Markle.
Underwood addressed the drama publicly for the first time in a three-part series on her podcast titled 'Sharon Walks Away', in which she claimed Osbourne never apologized to her for the dust-up. Sharon Osbourne has refuted former The Talk co-host Sheryl Underwood's claim that she never apologized after their on-air row by revealing exclusive screenshots of her text messages to DailyMail.com.
Osbourne, 68, left The Talk late last month after she and Underwood, 57, engaged in an explosive debate over her defense of her friend Piers Morgan's criticism of Meghan Markle.
Underwood addressed the drama publicly for the first time in a three-part series on her podcast titled 'Sharon Walks Away', in which she claimed Osbourne never apologized to her for the dust-up.
On Tuesday Osbourne debunked that claim by releasing screenshots of the lengthy text messages she sent to Underwood asking to patch things up.
'I not only sent these messages to Sheryl but I apologized to her in person in her dressing room,' Osbourne told DailyMail.com.
'Why are you saying I never apologized Sheryl? What are you trying to do to me?
'Why are you trying to destroy my reputation? Just be honest. Tell me.'
Sharon Osbourne refuted former The Talk co-host Sheryl Underwood's claim that she never apologized after their on-air row by revealing exclusive screenshots of her text messages to DailyMail.com on Tuesday
Osbourne's first message to Underwood dated 7.28pm on March 12 is shown above
Osbourne later sent two more messages to Underwood that went unanswered
In the first message dated 7.28pm on March 12 - two days after the on-air row - Osbourne wrote: 'Sheryl, My heart is heavy and I'm deeply saddened by the events that transpired on Wednesday.
'I don't want to lose my true friend over this. Im sorry for telling you to f**k off during break, I'm sorry for accusing you of fake crying while we were live on air and I'm sorry for losing my temper with you.
'I felt shocked, scared and saddened by what felt like was a blind sided attack. You know me. You know how I've always had your back. We've outlasted everyone on this show and that's because we've always been a team and had each other's backs.
'I consider you a genuine friend. If you want to talk on the phone over the weekend I'm here. Once again from the bottom of my heart I'm sorry.
'Is there anything You need from me or that I can do to help you heal? Love and respect always - Sharon.'
That message went unanswered for three days before Osbourne sent another, dated 1.45pm on March 15.
'Hi Sheryl. I know you're taking space and I don't want to disrespect that. I'm just reaching out because I want you [to] know I'm thinking about you. If you are willing, can we talk before Wednesday? Big kiss,' she wrote.
Another three days passed before Osbourne wrote on at 4.32pm on March 18: 'Sheryl I am thinking about you. Hope you are well. Sending my
Underwood and Osbourne are pictured at the 41st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2014
On her podcast, Underwood claimed that she and Osbourne had not spoken since they faced off on set on March 10.
Asked if Osbourne had reached out to apologize, Underwood said: 'No' and shared her phone history to corroborate that claim.
The controversy began on March 10 when Osbourne delivered a vociferous defense of her friend Morgan, who quit Good Morning Britain after furious criticism of his staunch insistence that he did not believe Markle's explosive claims about experiencing racism in the Royal family in her interview with Oprah Winfrey three days earlier.
Underwood, who is black, pushed back hard and accused Osbourne of downplaying Morgan's comments.
'Educate me, tell me when you have heard him say racist things,' Osbourne said.
'I very much feel like I'm about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend, who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist?'
On The Talk, Osbourne defended Morgan in an on-air debate with co-host Sheryl Underwood, which turned heated as Osbourne demanded 'educate me' on how Morgan is racist
Osbourne later issued an apology for her 'panicked' defense of Morgan and The Talk was placed on hiatus as an internal investigation was launched.
Allegations soon emerged that Osbourne made racist remarks about co-hosts behind the scenes at The Talk - claims which she has staunchly denied.
On March 26 CBS announced Osbourne would be leaving her post on the show after more than a decade.
'Sharon Osbourne has decided to leave The Talk,' CBS said in a statement confirming her departure. '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,' the statement continued.
'We also did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts,' CBS said, responding to allegations from Osbourne's camp that she was 'set up to fail' by being spurred into the debate by producers.
'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,' the statement added.
'During this week's hiatus, we are coordinating workshops, listening sessions and training about equity, inclusion and cultural awareness for the hosts, producers and crew. Going forward, we are identifying plans to enhance the producing staff and producing procedures to better serve the hosts, the production and, ultimately, our viewers,' CBS said.
Osbourne had reportedly cited clauses in her contract to demand millions in severance if she were forced to quit, but it was not immediately clear whether CBS had agreed to pay out.
Osbourne (far right) and Underwood (second from left) got into a heated exchange over Osbourne's support for her friend Piers Morgan (third from left), who has come under fire for comments he made about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Morgan posted this photo in February 2020 of the show's former panel from last year. From left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Underwood, Morgan, Marie Osmond, and Osbourne
'Sharon Osbourne has decided to leave The Talk,' CBS said in a statement confirming her departure. 'The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home'
In her podcast series, Underwood sought to refute Osbourne's claim that CBS executives 'blindsided' her by manufacturing the row about Morgan.
Underwood said 'none' of the questions she asked during the debate came from higher-ups and said she had tried to be mindful about posing her points 'in a way that was not perceived as attacking'.
'In my gut, I thought this was going to go left,' Underwood recounted. 'And so I wanted to put it in its proper order, be very calm.
'But there were a few people that criticized me on that - "Why do you give any f**k about somebody's feelings? They give no f**k about yours."
'It's not about the reaction of the person, it's about me and who I'm trying to evolve and mature to be.'
Underwood also described how she and Osbourne were 'fast friends' when she joined The Talk in 2011 - despite what she'd heard about the original host.
'I automatically just fell in love with her because I just like her,' Underwood said.
'And I heard things and I was like: "They got nothing to do with me." My thing is I'm going to get to know you first.'
She didn't specify what 'things' she'd heard about Osbourne before meeting her, merely saying: 'I got phone calls of this and that and so what I said to those people, I said: "Thank you for the information." Because listen, in this business you've got all types of personalities, right?'
However she said the things she's heard were confirmed 'in hindsight'.
Underwood says she still has positive feelings toward Osbourne despite what went down between them.
'I still love the Osbournes, from what I've known of them,' she said. 'I don't know anything other than what I've experienced with them, and this thing that has happened is disappointing to me.
'I'm not saying I liked being treated the way I was treated,' she added. 'I'm very disappointed. And I'm just trying to navigate my feelings about that because it was a trauma.'
In her podcast series, Underwood described how she and Osbourne were 'fast friends' when she joined The Talk in 2011 - despite what she'd heard about the original host. Underwood and Osbourne are pictured together at the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2014
After The Talk went on hiatus - which is slated to end on April 12 - allegations emerged that Osbourne had made racist or otherwise crass remarks about co-hosts behind the scenes at the show.
Former co-stars Julie Chen and Leah Rimini publicly came out to complain that Osbourne once referred to Chen as 'a wonton' and Rimini as being 'ghetto'.
A report from Yashar Ali also alleged that Osbourne called former co-host Sara Gilbert a 'fish eater,' among other things; Gilbert is a lesbian.
CBS extended The Talk's hiatus for yet another week after Osbourne was accused of frequently calling former co-host Julie Chen a 'wonton' and 'slanty eyes'
Osbourne furiously denied the allegations in an interview with DailyMail.com, calling the claims 'all c**p'.
'In situations like this, you're always going to get people who you've had disagreements with in the past, people who've got axes to grind, who come out of the woodwork and they'll come out with their BS and that's it. It doesn't surprise me at all. It doesn't surprise me,' she said.
'Of course, it's a pile on. People want to add fuel to the fire and it comes with the territory and that's fine,' Osbourne said.
She added: 'Being accused of racism is no joke. Now they get their sweet revenge. I can't even address it because it's kids in a schoolyard.
'Coming out with stupid, childish comments – it's like really? That's all you've got?'
Asked if she had ever called Chen a wonton, she added: 'It's all c**p. It's all c**p. I don't want to go there with her. She makes her living out of outing people. So, it's like come on.
'It's got no real foundation. Allegations of calling a Chinese lady a wonton, it's like – is that all you've got? It's like really?'
Osbourne also faced claims from former co-host Holly Robinson Peete, 56, that she got her fired because she was 'too ghetto' for Osbourne.Osbourne has strongly denied the allegations and posted a screenshot of an email sent by Robinson Peete on Twitter that suggests her firing was due to former host Julie Chen – who is married to ex boss Moonves - instead.
She reportedly tapped powerhouse attorney Jeremiah Reynolds from the Eisner law firm to represent her in the dispute with CBS.
'Sharon wasted no time in getting her lawyers immediately on the case. Jeremiah Reynolds has a very strong reputation as a trial and arbitration lawyer and is handling all her negotiations with CBS,' a source familiar with the internal investigation told Page Six.
'The network will have to pay her a sizeable settlement to keep her quiet after this,' the source said. 'She could write a book, she would do a world of interviews. She knows where all the bodies are buried.'
Reynolds has an extensive rap sheet as a corporate brawler who has represented the Kardashian Family, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Danny DeVito and Paris Hilton.
Sharon Osbourne reportedly demanded a payout in the tens of millions to leave her co-hosting job on The Talk, amid allegations that she made racist remarks.
A confidante had claimed Osbourne would strictly enforce contract provisions if she was forced off the show.
The person added: 'She is furious about the slew of accusations made about her and is refusing to bow to the mounting pressure to leave.'
'As far as she is concerned, she apologized over the on-air debate and hasn't done anything else wrong,' the source added.
Osbourne, who managed the solo career of her rocker husband Ozzy Osbourne for decades, first gained national fame of her own with the debut of the MTV reality show The Osbournes in 2002.
She went on to become a panelist on America's Got Talent before joining The Talk in its premier season in 2010. Before her departure, she had been the last remaining co-host from The Talk's original lineup.
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