British television personality Piers Morgan exited the Good Morning Britain TV show following a confrontation with colleague Alex Beresford, owing to Morgans comments about Prince Harry and Meghan Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey.
"Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add," the network said in a statement, as quoted by People magazine.
Piers Morgan leaves Good Morning Britain following discussions with ITV in wake of Meghan Markle criticism https://t.co/0x4p7AEoOG
— ITV News (@itvnews) March 9, 2021
Morgan had said that he did not believe "a word" said by the former royal couple during the 90-minute interview, and said that it was "contemptible". Morgan's comments led to the British media regulator Ofcom launching an investigation, after over 41,000 people filed written complaint, according to Variety. Soon after Morgan's exit, British actress-model, Jameela Jameel tweeted saying she wanted to kill herself after his "relentless campaign of lies and hatred" against her last year.
OH MY GOD IS IT MY BIRTHDAY AGAIN?! I hope @alexberesfordTV replaces his role. What a gent! https://t.co/XKAsXe4Rtx pic.twitter.com/ubMdXd4P1p
— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) March 9, 2021
TW: suicide
I almost killed myself a year ago because of Piers Morgan’s relentless campaign of lies and hatred against me last February. I’m glad I’m still alive today for many reasons. But watching him leave GMB today is right up there and has me feeling: pic.twitter.com/reygXIMhP9
— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) March 9, 2021
"I almost killed myself a year ago because of Piers Morgan's relentless campaign of lies and hatred against me last February. I'm glad I'm still alive today for many reasons. But watching him leave GMB today is right up there and has me feeling," Jamil wrote on Twitter sharing a GIF of herself flipping her hair on the Emmys red carpet.
After stepping down, Morgan took to Twitter to stand by his words.
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. If you did, OK. 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. pic.twitter.com/bv6zpz4Roe
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 10, 2021
BREAKING NEWS: Good Morning Britain beat BBC Breakfast in the ratings yesterday for the first time.
My work is done.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 10, 2021
Speaking outside his London home on Wednesday, Morgan described his departure as ‘amicable’. A portal quoted him saying, “I had a good chat with ITV and we agreed to disagree. "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. 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."
Calling his absence from screens as ‘a temporary hibernation’, he added that he was ‘always in talks with people’ about work. Morgan's long-time co-presenter began Wednesday's episode of the breakfast programme by informing viewers about Morgan's exit. She said, “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. 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."
(Source: IANS/Twitter/BBC)
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