Valerie Bertinelli is standing up for Drew Barrymore and her naturally touchy-feely personality. 

During Friday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Drew Crew members Barrymore, Bertinelli, and Ross Mathews reacted to a 2017 Wired article about a series of studies that found human touch can make you happier, more successful, and less stressed.

“I may or may not have brought this story to the news desk because I’m known to glom on to other humans,” Barrymore confessed as Bertinelli pulled her into a hug. After standing up and quickly hugging Mathews, she continued, “I also just may not be your cup of tea and you may not want at all to be touched. And I’m so sorry for that.”

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But Bertinelli wasn’t having a single second of Barrymore’s negative self-talk. “Do not apologize for being so authentic,” she declared, reaching out and grabbing the host’s hand. “I mean, touch is what keeps us connected. Communication is what keeps us in. You are communicating and touching. You are doing your job. That’s what you’re here on this Earth to do.”

Mathews agreed that there was no need for Barrymore to feel sorry for expressing herself in a way that feels comfortable. “It’s so authentically you,” he added. “This is how you are. You couldn’t change you if you tried.”

Barrymore agreed that she’s just someone who is naturally touchy. “But I also know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea,” she clarified. “I was just happy to find out that there is scientific, neurological benefits.”

Over the last five seasons of her talk show, Barrymore has been both celebrated and criticized by viewers for her affectionate interview style, which often sees her holding hands or hugging guests. She has since revealed that she is working on her “proximity” to interviewees and maintaining a “physical distance” from them moving forward. 

Last month, Barrymore revealed during an interview with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo that she’d been warned by others to “back off a little bit” because of her touchy nature in the past. 

Erivo, however, explained that she believed that type of negative reaction toward physical touch was brought on by fear. “I think we get a bit afraid of physical connection,” she said. “I think we assume that physical connection can only be romantic.”

She added, “However we need to communicate, it’s how we need to communicate. And I think we don’t give enough credit to how we communicate with our friends physically.”

The Drew Barrymore Show airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings.