‘The Talk’ begins post-Sharon Osbourne era by talking about the explosive episode that led to the show’s hiatus

The cast of “The Talk” returned to its CBS studio, minus Sharon Osbourne, whose 11-year run on the program ended abruptly with a heated discussion about race on March 10.

Monday’s broadcast marked the first time since “The Talk” launched in 2010 that Osbourne was not affiliated with it. The broadcast began with host Sheryl Underwood — who had calmly engaged an upset Osbourne on that fateful episode last month — addressing the show’s audience.

“We haven’t been together at the studio since the week of March 10 and as you may know, during our break, Sharon decided to leave ‘The Talk,’” Underwood said. “We need to process the events of that day and what happened since so we can get to the healing.”

Throughout the course of the hour that followed, cast members including Underwood looked back at what had passed. Underwood said she felt as though she’d suffered “PTSD” in the aftermath of Osbourne’s final show appearance.

Looking back at her discussion with Osbourne, Underwood said she refrained from matching her colleague and friend’s intensity out of fear of being perceived as “The Angry Black Woman.”

Osbourne confessed in a tweet last month that her on-air outburst may have been over-the-top.

“I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being accused of being a racist take over,” she wrote.

Underwood said Monday that she has not spoken to Osbourne since their debate and refrained from texting her while CBS conducted an internal investigation into the British TV personality’s overall conduct on the show — though she won’t rule out a reconciliation.

“If she greeted me warmly and sincerely I’d give her that, the same, because we’ve been on this show together for 10 years,” Underwood said. “When you’re friends with somebody, you know, you stay friends.”

The fallout occurred when Osbourne aggressively came to the defense of fellow British broadcaster Piers Morgan, who said on air that he was skeptical of comments about racism in Britain’s royal family by actress-turned-duchess Meghan Markle.

A clip from Monday’s “The Talk” was posted on the show’s Twitter page, where some fans expressed appreciation for the way the matter was handled and others expressed disappointment.

“I appreciate the open, honest and vulnerable dialogue today,” tweeted one supporter of the show. “I had hoped Sharon Osbourne would have been educated outside of her current beliefs and been the example how to learn how unconscious bias rises up to create damaging outcomes. I pray all of us learn something new!”

Sheryl Underwood and Sharon Osbourne in better times. (Randy Shropshire/)

Several viewers complained that Osbourne was punished for trying to engage what she felt was honest and vulnerable dialogue.

“NOT WATCHING ANYMORE...change the name of your program to ‘Restricted talk,’” tweeted an Osbourne supporter.

Another viewer worried that both Osbourne and Underwood missed an opportunity to hear one another speak.

“So disgusted by what I am hearing on the show today,” that viewer seemingly tweeted to Underwood. “You were not listening to Sharon who felt accused and attacked. And she was not listening to you because she was blinded by emotional. Two wrongs don’t make a right. But who is on the panel still?”