Sharon Osbourne Looks Happy And Unbothered In First Public Sighting Since Being Accused Of 'Illegally Recording' Former 'Talk' Co-Host Elaine Welteroth
Sharon Osbourne appears to have fully recovered from her abrupt exit from The Talk and all the drama that followed.
The 68-year-old wife of rocker Ozzy Osbourne seemed to be in relatively good spirits while grabbing lunch with friends in Montecito, California, earlier this week.
The mother of three sported a loose-fitting white shirt, baggy blue jeans, white sneakers, and a tan fedora hat with a black rim. She accessorized her chic summer look with a long gold necklace and straw handbag.
Osbourne appears to have partaken in a little retail therapy, too, as she was seen carrying several shopping bags while leaving the restaurant.
See the photos here!
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Osbourne's former Talk co-host, Elaine Welteroth, recently alleged that Sharon and her team "illegally recorded" her during a private conversation following the English TV personality's on-air blowup with Sheryl Underwood, which preceded Osbourne's exit from the show.
"They're masquerading like it was a 'hot mic' moment, but they were not [wearing the show's mics] at all," insiders told Page Six at the time.
"Someone in Sharon's camp illegally recorded their conversation and leaked it. It was the ultimate Karen move," the source added, calling Osbourne "the unhinged TV Karen."
Welteroth herself then spoke to Entertainment Tonight, saying she "thought we had closed the painful, public chapter of the controversy related to the March 10th show."
"Today, however, I learned that my private comments made moments after the incident from a place of compassion to a then-colleague (the most senior level co-host on The Talk) were recorded – without my consent or knowledge – and shared with the media," she said.
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"To set the record straight, it was not a hot mic – I was unlawfully recorded without consent," Elaine continued. "And I never filed a complaint with HR against Sharon Osbourne or anyone else."
She added that she was "disheartened" by the fact that her "kindness" had been "taken out of context and weaponized in an attempt to absolve responsibility for someone else's actions."
Osbourne and Underwood were at each other's throats during The Talk's March 10 episode after Sharon stood up for her friend, Piers Morgan, who questioned whether Meghan Markle was telling the truth when she said she contemplated suicide while living under the royal family's thumb.
During the tense conversation, Sheryl asked Sharon, "What would you say to people who may feel that, while you're standing by your friend, it appears that you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don't agree?"
Following an internal investigation, Osbourne revealed she would be exiting the CBS talk show.
Later, leaked audio revealed that Elaine told Sharon she had been "set up" for the public spat, claiming producers wanted her to deliver the question that sparked the explosive debate.
Welteroth was also heard comforting a bawling Osbourne and telling her, "I know you're not racist."
The never-before-heard clip was initially believed to have been picked up by Welteroth's hot mic, a claim she denied earlier this month.
