Piers Morgan demands apology for 'disgraceful slurs' on 'The Talk'

Piers Morgan has demanded an apology for what he called “disgraceful slurs” against him on US television show The Talk.

The presenter spoke out after his friend Sharon Osbourne got into a heated discussion about him on the programme.

Osbourne has been one of Morgan’s most outspoken supporters after he stepped down from ITV's Good Morning Britain following his comments about Meghan's revelations in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

She tweeted her support of him earlier this week and on Wednesday got into a debate about the situation on The Talk, asking co-host Sheryl Underwood to "educate" her about racism.

Osbourne was criticised for the discussion and has since said she is "sorry" if she caused offence with her defence of Morgan – causing the TV star to leap in.

Watch: Sharon Osbourne 'truly sorry' after backlash for defending Piers Morgan's Meghan Markle rant

Read more: Piers Morgan steps down from Good Morning Britain in wake of Meghan Markle row

“Sharon's been shamed & bullied into apologising for defending me against colleagues accusing me of racism because I don't believe Meghan Markle's b*******,” Morgan wrote on Twitter.

“This is where we've reached.

"I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME.”

Morgan left GMB this week, after sparking a backlash when he said he did not believe The Duchess of Sussex after she told Oprah she had suffered with her mental health and had suicidal thoughts.

The star later restated his opinion in a post on Twitter, saying “freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on”.

Osbourne spoke out in Morgan’s defence on Twitter, saying she stood by him.

Then discussing the situation on The Talk, she told Underwood: “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.”

“You tell me where you have heard him say, educate me, tell me when you have heard him say racist things,” she asked.

Underwood then said it was “not the exact words of racism” but “the implication and the reaction to it, 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”.

Watch: Sharon Osbourne in tears on The Talk as she defends Piers Morgan

Read more: Piers Morgan stands by Meghan Markle comments

On Thursday, Osbourne said on Twitter that after “some reflection”, she was “truly sorry”.

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.”