Sharon Osbourne Breaks Down As She Defends Piers Morgan In Tense 'The Talk' Debate

Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood had a heated debate on "The Talk" about the former defending Piers Morgan despite his controversial comments about Meghan Markle.

On Wednesday's episode of "The Talk," the co-hosts had an emotional conversation over Osbourne's decision to continue supporting close friend Morgan, who recently left "Good Morning Britain" after saying he doesn't "believe" Markle's statement that she had suicidal thoughts after joining the British royal family.

"What would you say to people who may feel that while you're standing by your friend, it appears you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don't agree," Underwood was quoted by E! News as saying to Osbourne.

Osbourne said she didn't find his remarks racist and thought that it was unfair that she could be accused of racism because of her friendship with Morgan.

"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?" she fired back. "What does it gotta do with me? How could I be racist about anybody or anything in my life?"

Underwood interrupted to cut to a commercial break. When they returned, the 68-year-old British-American TV personality was tearful and asked Underwood to defend her claims against Morgan. "Don't try and cry because if anybody should be crying, it should be me," she added.

Her co-host then explained why Morgan's comment could be off-putting to many people.

"There's a difference between bigotry, prejudice, and racism," Underwood said. "To speak upon something and not accept what she is saying, what Meghan has been saying, it could be true, and the responses to that could be true and the fact that you don't even want to take into consideration that her desire to want to end her own life is connected to her race. That dismissal makes it a racist situation."

Underwood shifted the topic to Osbourne's reaction and stressed that she and their other co-hosts, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth, were not accusing her of being racist. She also reminded Osbourne that she's talking to a friend and she doesn't want the audience to get the impression that they were attacking her for being racist.

"It's too late. I think that seed's already sowed," Osbourne responded.

Morgan walked off the set of "Good Morning Britain" on Tuesday after co-star Alex Beresford confronted him about his continuous attacks toward Markle.

Following the incident, Morgan decided to quit the show, of which he has been a host for six years, and ITV accepted his decision.