The Talk’s Elaine Welteroth ‘told Sharon Osbourne she was set up by producers and is NOT racist’ in audio after TV fight

THE Talk’s Elaine Welteroth “told Sharon Osbourne she was set up by producers and is NOT racist” in an audio recording.

Elaine, 34, made the claims to Sharon, 68, after her TV fight with co-host Sheryl Underwood.

In unearthed audio obtained by DailyMail.com, Elaine can be heard consoling a distraught Sharon moments after her heated fight with Sheryl, 57, occurred.

Elaine was heard reassuring Sharon that “no one thinks she’s racist’” in a conversation that allegedly took place in Sharon’s dressing room following the fight that aired on the March 10 episode of The Talk.  

She told Sharon she believed she was “set up” by producers and revealed CBS showrunners wanted her to ask the question that sparked fight with Sheryl.

Throughout the conversation, Sharon sobbed as she said Sheryl never publicly confirmed she isn’t racist and said she felt “like somebody punched me in the face.”

THE FIGHT THAT STARTED IT ALL

During the heated episode of The Talk, Sharon was asked to address her decision to stand by Piers Morgan’s controversial comments on Meghan Markle.

She said while she disagreed with Piers’ comments, she supported his right to express his opinion.

Sheryl then pushed back and accused Ozzy’s wife of downplaying Piers’ comments and giving ”’validation” to his “racist” opinions. 

ELAINE INSISTS PRODUCERS PUSHED THE FIGHT TO HAPPEN

As Sharon and Elaine spoke in the dressing room, the journalist sympathized with her former co-host and claimed the showrunners orchestrated the confrontation by instructing Sheryl to ask the loaded question.

She said: ‘They literally made her ask that question.

“And I thought that she was setting it up in way so that you knew… I assumed that you guys had a pre-conversation so that you were on the same page.”

Elaine later said: “You are right, you wanted to hear, ‘You are not a racist, Sharon.’ We know that. 

“I think [Sheryl] thinks she said that but she said, ‘I don’t think you’re racist.’ And I think she meant the same thing. 

“And really, that’s an enlightening moment for me to hear you say that. I wanna apologize because I don’t know what I said, maybe I didn’t say, ‘I know you’re not [racist].’

“I might have said ‘I think,’ but I need you to know I f**king know you’re not.”

Following Sharon’s decision stand by her longtime friend Piers’s criticism of Meghan Markle, the show took a month-long hiatus to conduct an internal review.

CBS then announced Sharon had quit the show in March.

THE NEW SHARON

On Wednesday, The Talk confirmed that actor Jerry O’Connell had been hired to replace Sharon.

After the other co-hosts welcomed Jerry to the show, the 47-year-old then thanked the crew as he added: “It’s a special feeling around here.”

Jerry joins Sheryl, Elaine, Amanda Kloots and Carrie Ann Inaba, who is currently on a leave of absence.