Piers Morgan has left ITV's Good Morning Britain following a row over his comments about the Duchess of Sussex, bringing an end to his six-year tenure on the show. ITV announced the decision after Ofcom said it was investigating his remarks, which drew more than 41,000 complaints.
On Monday, Morgan said he did not believe Meghan's claim in her Oprah Winfrey interview that she had suicidal thoughts and was refused help by palace officials. He called her the 'Pinocchio Princess' on Twitter. The following day, he said he still had concerns about the veracity of her statements but acknowledged it was not for him to question if she felt suicidal.
Morgan's departure followed an on-air clash with weather presenter Alex Beresford, who criticised him for 'continuing to trash' the duchess. Morgan walked off set but returned within ten minutes. ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall later said she completely believed the duchess and that ITV is totally committed to mental health.
Mental health charity Mind, a partner in ITV's Britain Get Talking campaign, criticised Morgan, saying it was disappointed by his comments. Ofcom launched an investigation under its harm and offence rules, noting that the complaint number is the second highest in its 17-year history.
In a tweet, Morgan said he still did not believe Meghan and that 'freedom of speech is a hill I'm happy to die on'. He added: 'Thanks for all the love, and hate. I'm off to spend more time with my opinions.'
