Jerry O'Connell joins 'The Talk' following Sharon Osbourne's exit
O'Connell joins the show after Osbourne left in March amid controversy
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jerry O'Connell is officially joining "The Talk" as a co-host nearly four months after Sharon Osbourne's exit.
O'Connell's addition to the long-running daytime talk show was announced during Wednesday's episode. The 47-year-old actor entered the studio dressed as Rocky Balboa while "Eye of the Tiger" played in the background.
"It's really exciting," he said following his entrance. "First of all I want to say, you ladies have been so welcoming to me, I mean, I came here as a guest, months ago, and just from the moment I walked in, you're just gracious, you're kind, you're fun, and it worked.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"And here we are and we're gonna have a lot of fun, we really are."
Jerry O'Connell becomes the first male co-host of ‘The Talk’ as he replaces Sharon Osbourne. Osbourne exited the show in March after she was accused of being racist for defending Piers Morgan's comments about Meghan Markle.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'Connell is the first male co-host to join the show alongside Sheryl Underwood, Elaine Welteroth, Amanda Kloots and Carrie Ann Inaba.
O'Connell replaced Osbourne, who exited the show after getting in an on-air argument with co-host Underwood. The two were discussing Piers Morgan's comments regarding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The argument started after Osbourne defended Morgan's right to share his opinion of Markle.
The debate between Osbourne and Underwood ended up leading to an investigation after Welteroth complained of "a racially insensitive and hostile environment" on "The Talk," according to the Daily Mail.
However, audio obtained by the Daily Mail – and published on Wednesday -- allegedly caught co-host Welteroth assuring Osbourne that nobody thought she was a racist after the on-air argument. Welteroth even claimed the co-hosts were "set up" at the time.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Osbourne later spoke out about the controversy during an interview with Bill Maher. (Monty Brinton/CBS @2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Despite her private assurances to Osbourne, Welteroth denied that the co-hosts were set up during an address on the show, the Daily Mail reported.
Osbourne later spoke out about the controversy during an interview with Bill Maher.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"She's entitled to her opinion, Piers is entitled to his," Osbourne told Maher in April. "And that's what it's all about."
"Disagreeing with someone does not make you a racist in my book."