Piers Morgan stands by Meghan criticism after Good Morning Britain exit

Piers Morgan has said he stands by his criticism of the Duchess of Sussex as ITV’s Good Morning Britain aired for the first time since his departure.

Morgan left the show on Tuesday after saying he “didn’t believe a word” Meghan said in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Ofcom is investigating his comments after receiving 41,000 complaints.

It is also being reported the duchess formally complained to ITV about Morgan’s remarks.

Chris Ship, the royal editor of ITV News, also referred to her complaint, tweeting: “The Duchess of Sussex formally filed a complaint to ITV on Monday.

“It’s thought to have been sent to the broadcaster’s CEO. Meghan raised concerns about how Piers Morgan’s words affect the issue of mental health and what it might do to others contemplating suicide.”

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething has also described Piers Morgan’s comments about the duchess as “wholly unacceptable, incredibly unkind and exactly where we should not be in public debate and discourse”.

Addressing his exit, co-host Susanna Reid said she had disagreed with his comments, and added: “Shows go on.”

Ranvir Singh, who was sitting in Morgan’s chair on Wednesday, said: “We don’t call him Marmite for nothing.” It is not yet known who will be his permanent replacement on GMB.

In a tweet as the programme was beginning, Morgan said: “On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I’ve had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don’t.”

He added: “Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on. Thanks for all the love, and hate. I’m off to spend more time with my opinions.”

His message was accompanied by a photo of Winston Churchill with a quote about free speech.

On Tuesday, before leaving the show, Morgan stormed off set after a discussion with his colleague Alex Beresford over the duchess.

Speaking outside his London home on Wednesday, the presenter described his departure as “amicable”, adding: “I had a good chat with ITV and we agreed to disagree.”

He explained: “I believe in freedom of speech, I believe in the right to be allowed to have an opinion. If people want to believe Meghan Markle, that’s entirely their right.

“I don’t believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth and I think the damage she’s done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible.

“If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.”

He also said: “I think it’s fair to say, although the woke crowd will think that they’ve cancelled me, I think they will be rather disappointed when I re-emerge.”

He described his forthcoming absence from screens as “a temporary hibernation”, adding that he was “always in talks with people” about work.

ITV said the final episode of his Life Stories series, featuring Coleen Nolan, is still scheduled to be broadcast next week as planned.

Morgan’s long-time co-presenter began Wednesday’s episode of the breakfast programme by informing viewers about Morgan’s exit.

“A number of people will know the news and many of you will not, and will be surprised that Piers Morgan is not here this morning,” she said.

“Now, Piers and I have disagreed on many things, and that dynamic was one of the things that viewers loved about the programme. He is without doubt an outspoken, challenging, opinionated, disruptive broadcaster.

“He has many critics and he has many fans. You will know that I disagreed with him about Meghan’s interview. He himself clarified his comments about her mental health on the show yesterday. There are many voices on GMB, and everyone has their say.

“But now, Piers has decided to leave the programme. Some of you may cheer and others will boo.

“He has been my presenting partner, Monday to Wednesday, for more than five years, and during Brexit and the pandemic and other issues, he has been a voice for many of you and a voice that many of you have railed against.

“It is certainly going to be very different, but shows go on, and so on we go.”

Singh added that Morgan was a “big character” and acknowledged that many viewers would be “gutted”.

Morgan continued to split opinion on social media following his departure.

While many expressed their own love or hatred of Morgan, others pointed out the huge impact he had on Good Morning Britain’s viewing figures, and praised him for ferociously holding ministers to account during the coronavirus pandemic

Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy said: “For all you think he gets wrong, few will be more pleased to see Piers Morgan go than [government] ministers who won’t face him anymore.”

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan said “morning TV feels like it’s lost it’s [sic] energy”, adding: “He will be back I am sure and so he should be.”

Ex-Fox News and NBC News presenter Megyn Kelly wrote on Twitter: “In an era of free speech being stifled everywhere, Piers fearlessly speaks his mind. We need more, not fewer like that in media.” She followed up with a message to him: “We love you!”

Businessman Simon Jordan wrote that Morgan “embodies hypocrisy, double standards and is a flat track bully”. He continued: “But… Also at times,was a brave forthright broadcaster. On #MeghanAndHarry, he gave an alternate view… not allowed.”

Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo said: “His departure is a triumph for feminists everywhere.”

The Mail on Sunday’s showbiz editor Katie Hind said Morgan’s departure would have “terrible ramifications for viewing figures” of the ITV show, adding: “Many, many watch for him.”

Piers Morgan’s final edition of Good Morning Britain beat its rival BBC Breakfast in the ratings for the first time. Tuesday’s edition of GMB was watched by 1.29 million people, according to overnight audience figures, compared with BBC Breakfast’s 1.25 million. – bbc.com