The Talk returned to CBS on Monday for the first time since co-host Sharon Osbourne left the show following a heated on-air discussion about racism back in March that led to an internal CBS review.
“We need to process the events of that day and what happened since so we can get to the healing,” host Sheryl Underwood said to start the show.
“Over the next hour we’ll honestly discuss what occurred and explore some of our feelings, and we’ll also show you how anyone can become more comfortable discussing important issues and having difficult conversations,” she continued. “And by the end of the hour, we want everyone to feel empowered and ready to move forward.”
Dr. Donald E. Grant, an expert on diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, joined Underwood and co-hosts Carrie Ann Inaba, Elaine Welteroth and Amanda Kloots.
Welteroth denied accusations that she and Underwood “attacked” Osbourne on-air and that they conspired to blindside her with the difficult conversation about race, insisting, “the way Sheryl — both of us, frankly — conducted ourselves that day was respectful.”
Underwood also clarified that she has not spoken to Osbourne since the incident. She did, however, receive text messages from her former co-host, but didn’t respond at the time due to the ongoing CBS investigation.
As to how she would react if she were to see Osbourne today, Underwood said, “If she greeted me warmly and sincerely, I would give her that in the same because we’ve been on the show together for 10 years.”
“I want people to understand when you’re friends with somebody, you stay friends,” she added.
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