Sharon Osbourne is reportedly cashing out with millions as part of her exit from CBS program “The Talk.”
A source told Page Six, “Sharon is walking away with a $5 to $10 million minimum payout and was able to spin that it was her decision [to leave the show].”
Another source told the outlet Sharon will be free to speak out publicly, adding, “Sharon will talk when she is ready. She still wants to give her side of the story. She has been on that show for 11 years and knows all the secrets.”
CBS announced last week that Sharon would no longer be part of “The Talk.” Her departure came two weeks after she made headlines for her heated and tearful defense of her friend, Piers Morgan, during a March 10 discussion about his much-criticized reaction to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Oprah interview.
Sharon tweeted an apology on March 11, writing, “Please hear me when I say I do not condone racism, misogyny or bullying.”
CBS said in a statement on Friday, “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.”
In a column for the Daily Mail on Monday, Piers Morgan slammed CBS, who he calls the “Cowardly Broadcast System,” for bowing “to the woke mob illiberally baying for blood like a bunch of crazed language-policing fascists.”
“I’ve been friends with Sharon for over 20 years, and we became particularly close when we worked together for five seasons on ‘America’s Got Talent,’” he wrote. “She’s one of the smartest, feistiest, funniest and most outrageous people I know – and I love her for it. What you see with Sharon is what you get, on and off camera. Like me, she’s incredibly opinionated and loves a good argument.”
Following her defense of Piers, another report by journalist Yashar Ali alleged that she made disparaging remarks about her co-hosts on “The Talk.” Multiple sources, including former co-host Leah Remini, claim that Sharon referred to Chinese American colleague Julie Chen as “wonton” and “slanty eyes.” The report also claims she called host Sara Gilbert, who is a lesbian, a “fish eater” and “p***y licker.”
Sharon denied the claims in an interview with the Daily Mail, saying, “Everyone’s got an opinion or a story like the wonton story. It’s like f**k off with your f**king wonton story. F**k off!”
Sharon has yet to publicly comment since the announcement of her departure from “The Talk.”