Piers Morgan, the British news anchor of ITV, resigned on Wednesday after an on-air argument with his co-host on the show Good Morning Britain over Meghan Markle’s statement on mental health at the Oprah Winfrey show, reported The Guardian.
On March 7, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared on a show with Winfrey where they talked about their struggles and disappointment with the British royal family. Markle had said that her mental health worsened while she was an active member of the royal family and there was no help from the Buckingham Palace.
Stating that she had been having “suicidal thoughts”, she said: “I was ashamed to say it at the time… I just didn’t want to be alive any more.”
Following the tell-all interview, Morgan commented on the former American actor’s statements on the royal family, questioning the veracity of her claims that resulted in a formal complaint being filed with ITV.
“I don’t believe a word she says, Meghan Markle,” Morgan said on Monday’s Good Morning Britain. “I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report and that fact that she fired up this onslaught against our royal family, I think is contemptible,” Morgan said.
By Tuesday, there were over 41,000 complaints filed with OfCom, UK’s media regulator, compelling them to carry out an investigation. Morgan had clarified his stand on mental health, saying, “But let me just state on the record my position about mental illness and on suicide. These are clearly extremely serious things that should be taken extremely seriously, and if someone is feeling that way they should get the treatment and help they need every time.”
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The same day, Morgan’s co-host on the show, Alex Beresford called out Morgan for his insensitive approach towards Markle and her issue, while on-air with Morgan.
“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,” Beresford said. “Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has, but yet you continue to trash her,” Beresford said on the show.
Morgan had stormed off the sets, saying that he was done. Later that day, he announced his resignation on social media.
Beresford took to social media on Tuesday to discuss his stand on the matter as an person of colour.
I wish I had the privilege to sit on the fence. In order for me to do that I would have to strip myself of my identity and that’s not something I can do. It’s not any of our places to pick apart claims of racism in order to make us to feel more comfortable. ❤️
— Alex Beresford (@alexberesfordTV) March 9, 2021
A couple of hours later, ITV announced Morgan’s departure from the firm, stating, “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.”