Piers Morgan quits TV program after his Meghan Markle rant sparks 41,000 complaints

Piers Morgan, the host of Good Morning Britain, has left the show after facing a severe backlash over his vicious attack on Meghan Markle in the wake of her interview with Oprah Winfrey. Piers Morgan has a history of targeting the Duchess of Sussex and he took it to another level over the past week in the run-up to the much-hyped interview with Oprah Winfrey. Piers Morgan walked out of his own show on live TV as a guest called him out on his toxic obsession with attacking Meghan Markle, who was once reportedly his friend. The United Kingdom’s Office of Communications that monitors TV networks received more than 41,000 complaints about Piers Morgan's vicious attacks on the Duchess of Sussex, reported NBC News. It also announced that the ITV network's show was being investigated over its comments for violating the “harm and offense rules.”

ITV announced that Morgan had decided to leave the program after holding discussions with the presenter. "ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add," read the statement from the network. Following the airing of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah, Piers Morgan spent his waking hours relentlessly attacking Meghan Markle on Twitter and on Good Morning Britain which he co-hosts with Susanna Reid.

He called Meghan Markle a liar after she told Oprah that she had contemplated suicide because of her time as a member of the royal family. “I don’t believe a word she says, Meghan Markle,” said Morgan. “I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report, and the fact that she fired up this onslaught against our royal family I think is contemptible.” He added that he was sickened by the couple's interview. Most of the complaints to the Office of Communications pointed to the danger of Morgan dismissing Meghan Markle's mental health and her suicidal thoughts. 

Morgan was called out on his own show by guests such as Shola Mos-Shogbamimu and fellow ITV presenter Alex Beresford. Mos-Shogbamimu told Morgan his comments on the racist allegations against the royal family and his targeting of Markle was a disappointment during a debate about the monarchy’s colonial history and racism. “I wish to God one day you even surprise me,” Mos-Shogbamimu told Morgan. “You constantly use your platform as a wealthy, white privileged man with power and influence to aggravate and escalate bigoted, sexist, racist, and misogynist attacks on Meghan Markle.” Morgan dismissed her concerns as well by labeling her comments as “race-baiting nonsense.”

Piers Morgan exited his show in a dramatic fashion after fellow ITV presenter Alex Beresford pointed out he was being extremely toxic towards Meghan Markle. “I understand that you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off,” said Beresford. “She’s entitled to cut you off if she wants to. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has, but yet you continue to trash her.” At this point, Morgan stormed off the set, telling Beresford, “You can trash me mate, but not on my own show.”

"Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on," tweeted Morgan, which is ironical when you consider, he stormed off his own show when a guest presented an opinion that he didn't seem to agree with. Also, free speech isn't the license to spew hatred and venom. Sacha Baron Cohen summed it up perfectly when he called out social media companies for hiding behind "free speech" while providing a platform to reprehensible people. "Freedom of speech is not freedom of reach. Sadly, there will always be racists, misogynists, antisemites, and child abusers. But I think we could all agree that we should not be giving bigots and pedophiles a free platform to amplify their views and target their victims," said Cohen, reported The Guardian. When 41,000 complaints were sent to the United Kingdom’s Office of Communications, it was a sign the public didn't want Morgan's "bigoted, sexist, racist, and misogynist" views to be platformed on national TV. While Morgan would like to believe he was silenced and robbed of an opinion, the truth is he was de-platformed for spewing hate.