‘The Talk’ Hiatus Extended Even Longer Amid Sharon Osborne Scandal

The Talk has been on hiatus over the past week as the show conducts an internal review in light of co-host Sharon Osbourne‘s conduct. Now, journalist Yashar Ali is reporting that this hiatus has been extended even longer amid this scandal. On Friday night, Ali reported that The Talk would be on hiatus through at least March 26.

While The Talk was initially set to resume production on Wednesday, they decided to extend the hiatus through Friday. According to Ali, that hiatus will be extended once again, as the CBS talk show will not be airing any new episodes during the upcoming week. This extension to the hiatus came amidst a new report about the alleged racist remarks that Osbourne made in reference to several of her former co-workers. Ali reported that he spoke with numerous sources, including former The Talk co-host Leah Remini, and reported that Osbourne allegedly used racist and homophobic slurs in regards to Julie Chen and Sara Gilbert, who previously worked on the talk show.

Ali reported that Osbourne allegedly referred to Chen, who is Chinese-American, as “slanty eyes.” She allegedly called Gilbert, who is a lesbian, a “p—y-licker.” Osbourne’s publicist, Howard Bragman, subsequently issued a statement in which he called these allegations “lies.” His statement read, in part, “The only thing worse than a disgruntled former employee is a disgruntled former talk show host. For 11 years Sharon has been kind, collegial and friendly with her hosts as evidenced by throwing them parties, inviting them to her home in the UK and other gestures of kindness too many to name. Sharon is disappointed but unfazed and hardly surprised by the lies, the recasting of history and the bitterness coming out at this moment.”

This whole matter, and The Talk‘s internal review, was prompted after the March 10 episode, during which Osbourne and her co-host Sheryl Underwood got into a heated discussion over Piers Morgan‘s comments on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. Osbourne stated on social media that she stood “with” Morgan, who cast aspersions on Markle’s admission that she was suicidal while a working member of the royal family. While Underwood tried to explain why Osbourne’s defense of Morgan could be seen as giving “validation” to racism, the two ended up getting into a heated discussion. Osbourne later issued an apology in which she said that she was “truly sorry” to “anyone of color that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down.” Disclosure: PopCulture is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.