Jerry O’Connell Is “In Talks” to Replace Sharon Osbourne on The Talk

It looks like Jerry O’Connell is standing by The Talk. The recurring guest host is in discussions to become a full-time co-host of the CBS show, following Sharon Osbourne's exit in March.

By Lindsay Weinberg Jul 13, 2021 2:11 AMTags

The Talk may have found its replacement for Sharon Osbourne.

Actor Jerry O'Connell (who most recently starred in Star Trek: Lower Decks) is in talks to replace the former co-host on the daytime CBS show, a source familiar with the talks confirms to E! News.

"He will bring a very different energy than Sharon did to set," the insider shares, adding that O'Connell is "such a nice person."

He would be The Talk's first full-time male co-host.

O'Connell made occasional appearances on the show as a guest host throughout the last decade. He became a familiar face to The Talk's viewers this year, having guest hosted more than 25 episodes so far. Fans may also recognize the Stand By Me star, who is married to X-Men's Rebecca Romijn, from his roles on the TV series CarterBillionsDrunk History and The Big Bang Theory.

E! News reached out to O'Connell's rep for comment and did not hear back. The network had no comment when contacted by E! News.

photos
Love Island Cast Revealed: Meet the CBS Islanders

In March, CBS confirmed that Osbourne "decided" to leave the show following a tense exchange with co-host Sheryl Underwood

Osbourne, who was a co-host for 11 years, came under fire after defending Piers Morgan's controversial statements about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey. "I very much 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?" Osbourne said on air.

In a statement released to E! News, CBS said that its heated March 10 broadcast was "upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home." The network said, "As part of our review, we concluded that Sharon's behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace. We also did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts."

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows/Randee St. Nicholas/CBS via Getty Images

The company vowed to focus on workshops and other training programs relating to "equity, inclusion and cultural awareness" for the hosts, producers and other crew members.

"Going forward," the statement went on, "we are identifying plans to enhance the producing staff and producing procedures to better serve the hosts, the production and, ultimately, our viewers."

The Talk returned in April without the wife of Ozzy Osbourne, featuring co-hosts Amanda Kloots, Elaine Welteroth, Carrie Ann Inaba and Underwood, who broke her silence about the debacle on Sheryl Underwood Radio to share her side of the story.

Osbourne gave her first interview since leaving the program on the April 16 episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, saying, "I am so used to being called names, but a racist is one I will not take."

The 68-year-old personality went on, "I'm doing just fine. What about the people that are cut from the knees down who can't afford to get lessons now on what's politically correct? What happens to them? It's not fair. It isn't about being a racist. It's maybe not knowing what is correct and woke for your language that day. It changes from day to day, what is correct."

Later that month, Kloots expressed her hope that The Talk would survive its recent shake ups, including Inaba's leave of absence for health reasons and Eve's departure last December.

"A lot of times, we look at television shows, and there's this mask of perfection, and life is not about perfection," she told E! News. "It is actually about how you deal with imperfections, and learning to thrive in those imperfections and being resilient. So I think that when you watch The Talk now, you're seeing a show that's evolving and changing and growing. And I think that's a beautiful thing."

The Wrap was first to report O'Connell's current discussions.