Piers Morgan quits after Oprah rant
British TV presenter Piers Morgan has quickly left his job on the ITV show Good Morning Britain after an on-air rant about the Meghan and Harry interview with Oprah.
“Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain,” the network said in a curt statement today.
“ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.”
He received immediate backlash for his claims about Meghan Markle, after saying that he didn't believe her struggle with suicidal thoughts.
ITV's chief executive later revealed that she did believe Markle and said that Kevin Lygo, ITV's top programmer for media and entertainment had spoken with Morgan in recent days.
She said Mr Lygo was “speaking to him on a regular basis and has done so the last couple of days”, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Asked whether Morgan would lose his ITV job over the issue, Ms McCall said: “We are dealing with that as we speak.”
She said that “the most important thing with mental health that ITV does and is totally committed to, is that we support, we get people to speak up, we listen, we say everyone has to listen and everyone has to believe because that’s how you get people to speak up. So we are very committed to that.”
Morgan stormed off live on air after a co-star condemned his treatment of Meghan and Harry.
Alex Beresford accused Morgan of "trashing" Meghan because she "cut him off".
Beresford then challenged Morgan's claim about the glowing press coverage of the royal couple until after their wedding.
“I watched the program yesterday and yes they had some great press around the wedding, but what press is going to trash someone’s special day?” Beresford said.
“There was bad press around the engagement, before the engagement and everything that has followed since has been incredibly damaging — quite clearly, to Meghan’s mental health and also to Harry — and I hear Piers say that William has gone through the same thing, but do you know what, siblings experience tragedy in their life and one will be absolutely fine and brush it off and the other will not be able to deal with it so strongly.
“And that’s clearly what has happened with Harry in this situation. He walked behind his mother’s coffin at a tender, tender age in front of the globe. That is going to shape a young boy for the rest of his life. So I think that we need to all take a step back.”
Speaking directly to Morgan, Beresford said he “understands” that Morgan doesn’t like Meghan, telling him “you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this program, a number of times”.
“And I understand that you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one and she cut you off. She’s entitled to cut you off if she wants to,” he added.
“Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has, yet you continue to trash her.”
Morgan got up and left his chair, saying he was “done with this” before storming out of the studio. Beresford said that was “pathetic” as Morgan strode out, adding: “Sorry, can’t do this.”
“This is absolutely diabolical behaviour, I’m sorry but Piers spouts off on a regular basis and we all have to sit there and listen. 6.30 to 7 yesterday was incredibly hard to watch,” Beresford said.