'The Talk' Is Now on Hiatus Amidst an Investigation Into Sharon Osbourne's Conduct

After a particularly heated last episode, the ladies of The Talk will be going off the air from Mar. 15-16, 2021 amidst an internal investigation involving Sharon Osbourne.

CBS announced their decision to shut filming down for the time being after the hosts engaged in a pretty ugly verbal altercation. Though the implications seem severe now, there are plenty of ways this could play out. So, what happened to The Talk, what caused the controversial moment, and how is it being handled by the network? Here's what we know so far.

The reason for the show's hiatus is because of Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood's particularly heated spat over the former's support of Piers Morgan. If you weren't already aware, Piers drummed up controversy for his negative take on Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. 

Sharon, a longtime friend of Piers, defended his conduct. This elicited some seriously negative reactions from her co-hosts, the catalyst for their massive fight. Although the hosts do tend to engage in spirited arguments often, this particular instance got very out of hand quickly, and due to such the show made the move to go on hiatus amidst an investigation.

As of right now, the show is not outright canceled. However, the findings of the investigation still remain to be seen, and the decisions made in accordance with whatever findings may come to light cannot be predicted until that moment. The only known detail, for now, is that the show is taking a short break to look into it all.

In a statement to People, CBS vowed that it was putting its resources into better understanding the issue. "We are committed to a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace," the network said to the publication. "All matters related to the Wednesday episode of The Talk are currently under internal review."

Taking to Twitter on Mar. 12, 2021, Sharon apologized for her conduct on the air. After telling Sheryl and the other stars of the show that she was being accused of being racist for supporting Piers' comments, she is now approaching the situation with a different take. "Please hear me when I say I do not condone racism, misogyny, or bullying," she pled with fans.

However, Sharon also maintains that the entire situation was a setup perpetrated by CBS. She claimed to Variety that network execs coerced her co-hosts to instigate the fight that spiraled into this situation. 

"I blame the network for it," the television personality explained during her candid interview. "I was blindsided, totally blindsided by the whole situation. In my 11 years, this was the first time I was not involved with the planning of the segment."

While the network's investigation is underway, it appears only time will tell when and in what capacity The Talk will return to the air.