Sharon Osbourne says CBS 'blindsided' her with heated Piers Morgan segment on 'The Talk'

• Sharon Osbourne said she was "totally blindsided" by questions about Piers Morgan on "The Talk."
• Osbourne defended Piers Morgan over his coverage of Meghan Markle and racism allegations.
• CBS launched an internal review into the incident after the episode aired on Wednesday.

Sharon Osbourne claimed showrunners said plans for her co-stars to "blindside" her with questions about her defense of Piers Morgan on "The Talk" last week "came from executives."

"I blame the network for it," Osbourne, 68, told Variety about the tense exchange. "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."

During Wednesday's episode of "The Talk," Osbourne was asked by her co-host, Sheryl Underwood, to clarify her support for Piers Morgan. Osbourne told Variety that about eight minutes before the show began, showrunners asked if it was okay to ask about Morgan.

"I said, 'Sure, they can ask me whatever.' But then I get on there, I say my piece and Sheryl [Underwood] turns around straight-faced, looks at me, and is reading from a card with questions," Osbourne told the outlet. "I was just so hurt, caught off guard and stunned by what I was being asked and not prepared."

Soon after, the tense exchange between Osbourne and Underwood made waves on social media amid the fallout from the interview.

CBS did not immediately return Insider's request for comment.

After "Oprah with Meghan and Harry" debuted, Piers appeared on "Good Morning Britain," where he called Markle, 39, a liar and suggested her story about feeling suicidal while at Kensington Palace was false.

UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced an investigation into Morgan after it received more than 41,000 complaints about the statements. Markle made a formal complaint to ITV over Piers' comments about her mental health.

Morgan, who's remained critical of Markle, quit the program.

Osbourne came to Piers' defense on social media and remained unswayed during the segment.

Underwood, 57, told Osbourne that some people interpreted her defense of Morgan as giving "validation and a safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist."

"I don't know what he's uttered that's racist," Osbourne said. "I'm not trying to slide out of this one. Tell me, what has he uttered that's racist?"

She added: "I feel like I'm about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend who many people think is racist, so that makes me a racist. For me at 68 years of age to have to turn around and say, 'I ain't racist,' what's it got to do with me? How can I be racist about anybody … or anything in my life? How can I?"

Osbourne was heard cursing as the show cut to commercial break. When the show returned, Osbourne was visibly upset and asked Underwood to "educate her." Two days later, she posted a lengthy apology on Twitter.

On Friday, she issued another acknowledgment to Variety.

"I'm a work in progress. I want to learn; I'm willing to learn," Osbourne said.

CBS launched an internal review into the segment after it aired on Wednesday.

Morgan demanded an apology from "The Talk" for their comments about him. He also claimed in a tweet that Osbourne was "shamed & bullied into apologising."

For his remarks, celebrities have criticized Morgan, including Chelsea Handler calling him an a-----e and Jameela Jamil saying she contemplated suicide after Morgan's "relentless campaign of lies and hatred" against her.