Sharon Osbourne Reportedly Hires Private Security After Getting Death Threats Amid 'The Talk' Drama

Sharon Osbourne has reportedly hired a private security firm to protect her amid the fallout of an emotional argument she had on The Talk with co-host Sheryl Underwood. TMZ reports that Osbourne, her family and even her dogs have been the subject of several death threats. The outlet reports that she's been "bombarded" by social media users and has received "several calls to her home threatening her safety." A private security company has reportedly been stationed outside her and husband Ozzy Osbourne's Los Angeles home all week.

Osbourne, 68, raised eyebrows around the world when she defended Piers Morgan for his harsh comments about Meghan Markle following Markle and Prince Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Talk has been on a hiatus all week while an internal review is conducted following the contentious exchange between Osbourne and Underwood.

Morgan declared publicly that he didn't believe Markle's claims that she had been treated in a racist manner by the royal family and that she suffered mental health issues as a result. Osbourne vehemently defended her friend from speculation that his comments were racially motivated. Osbourne said she did not agree with Morgan's opinion but said she supports "him for his freedom of speech," though she said she is "not racist."

Underwood pushed back against that, asking Osbourne what she would say to those "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?" Osbourne started to tear up and said she felt like she was "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?"

Underwood explained that "it is not the exact words of racism," but rather "the implication" of Morgan dismissing Markle was racist. She explained that "to not want to address that because she is a Black woman, and to try to dismiss it or to make it seem less than what it is that's what makes it racist." She added that right now, she was "talking to a woman I believe is my friend and I don't want anybody here to watch this and think we are attacking you for being racist."

Osbourne has since apologized publicly and said she has privately apologized to Underwood. Since the debacle, Holly Robinson Peele said Osbourne had her fired from The Talk for being "too ghetto," and Leah Remini accused her of using racist and homophobic language while working on the show. Osbourne has denied the accusations and told ET she isn't sure what the future holds for her when it comes to returning to the CBS talk show.

"I wish that we could go on and have an adult conversation, calmly, and work it out but I don't know whether we can," she said. "I don't know whether it's gone past that. But I don't know whether I even want to go back. I don't know whether I'm wanted there."

Disclosure: PopCulture.com is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.