Sharon Osbourne refuses to leave The Talk unless TV bosses pay her 'tens of millions'

Sharon Osbourne will not quit The Talk unless she is compensated with ‘tens of millions,’ according to recent reports.

The British media personality told network bosses that she is not going to leave without a massive payout, amidst mounting pressure for her to step down from the CBS daytime talk show. 

Sharon hit headlines last week after she clashed with co-host Sheryl Underwood during a discussion on racism, in which the former X Factor judge controversially defended her friend, Piers Morgan. The exchange became increasingly heated when Sheryl confronted Sharon about Piers’s treatment of Meghan Markle, which has been criticized by many as prejudiced. 

“I feel even 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 said during the segment. She became increasingly irate during the discussion, shouting and cursing before Sheryl cut to a commercial break. 

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The Talk has remained on hiatus since the incident, as network bosses continue to carry out an internal investigation into the allegations of racism against Sharon. 

Sharon later addressed her behavior on-screen in a lengthy Instagram post, explaining that she ‘panicked' and ‘got defensive’ as the sensitive conversation unfolded. She admitted that she ‘allowed her fear and horror of being accused of being racist take over’ and extended her apologies to people of color who may have been offended. 

“I have always been embraced with so much and love and support from the black community and I have deep respect and love for the black community,” she added. 

However, just one day later, Sharon was accused of using racist and homophobic language towards her former The Talk co-hosts. 

Actor Leah Remini, who worked as a panelist on the show for its first season, made a number of allegations against Sharon. She told journalist Yashir Ali that Sharon has a history of uttering slurs such as ‘slanty eyes’ and ‘p***y licker’ in reference to her colleagues. 

Sharon’s spokesperson has dismissed these claims and said their client is ‘disappointed but unfazed and hardly surprised by the lies, the recasting of history and the bitterness coming out at this moment.’ 

Sharon is now refusing to resign from the job, which she has held since the show’s debut in 2010. 

"As far as she is concerned, she apologized over the on-air debate and hasn’t done anything else wrong,” an insider told the Sun. 

"She has a contract and they will have to pay her off if they want her to leave and that will cost them tens of millions. If bosses expect her to go quietly, they have got another thing coming."