Piers Morgan has demanded an apology from American TV network CBS for what he says were “disgraceful slurs” against him.
The presenter, who made global headlines this week when he quit ITV’s Good Morning Britain after saying he did not believe the Duchess of Sussex’s comments in her interview with Oprah Winfrey, was responding on Twitter to an apology made by Sharon Osbourne.
Sharon's been shamed & bullied into apologising for defending me against colleagues accusing me of racism because I don't believe Meghan Markle's bullsh*t. This is where we've reached. I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME. https://t.co/kguRA8KVPJ
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 12, 2021
Sharing her apology on Twitter, Morgan said: “Sharon’s been shamed & bullied into apologising for defending me against colleagues accusing me of racism because I don’t believe Meghan Markle’s bullsh*t. This is where we’ve reached. I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME.”
Osbourne, 68, had defended him earlier this week, saying on US show The Talk: “I 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.”
On Friday morning, she issued a long apology saying after that, “some reflection”, she is “truly sorry”.
— Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) March 12, 2021
She wrote: “I have always been embraced with so much love and support from the black community and I have deep respect and love for the black community.
“To anyone of colour that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said, I am truly sorry.
“I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive and allowed my fear and horror of being accused of being racist take over.
“There are very few things that hurt my heart more than racism so to feel associated with that spun me fast!
“I am not perfect, I am still learning like the rest of us and will continue to learn, listen and do better.”
Osbourne had previously tweeted her support for Morgan, saying: “I am with you. I stand by you. People forget that you’re paid for your opinion and that you’re just speaking your truth.”
. @piersmorgan I am with you. I stand by you. People forget that you’re paid for your opinion and that you’re just speaking your truth.
— Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) March 9, 2021
Now she has said: “Please hear me when I say I do not condone racism, misogyny or bullying.
“I should have been more specific about that in my tweet. I will always support freedom of speech, but now I see how I unintentionally didn’t make that clear distinction.”
Morgan had praised Osbourne for her support for him, tweeting: “When stuff like this happens, true friends run towards you, fake friends run away. I love Sharon Osbourne because she always stays true to herself.
“She knew she would get abused by the woke brigade for tweeting this – but did it anyway because it’s what she believes.”