Piers Morgan quits UK morning show
Piers Morgan has taken himself off the air.
The controversial British broadcaster quit his hosting gig at “Good Morning Britain,” ITV announced Tuesday.
“Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave,” the network said in a statement.
The news came shortly after U.K. broadcasting regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into Monday’s episode of the talk show, in which Morgan accused Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, of lying about racism within the royal family and her own suicidal thoughts.
On Tuesday’s show, Morgan stormed off after “Good Morning Britain” weatherman Alex Beresford criticized him for his one-sided attacks of Meghan.
“Yes they had some great press around the wedding, but 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,” Beresford said.
“I’ve walked into institutions as the only person of color and experienced covert and overt racism on so many occasions and why the Meghan interview really resonates with me is because an ex-work colleague, not on this show, asked me if I was worried about the shade of cocoa that my son was going to come out. So I fully understand the hurt that is behind all of that.”
Morgan, 55, began his career at Fleet Street tabloids before going on camera with “Piers Morgan’s Life Stories,” “Piers Morgan Live” and “Good Morning Britain.”
He has frequently caused stirs for racist and sexist comments made onair and off.
In November 2019, Ofcom said it would not punish Morgan after receiving almost 1,000 complaints when the host said he identified as a “penguin” during a discussion about gender identity.
In the CBS interview that aired Sunday night, Meghan told Oprah Winfrey that she “didn’t want to be alive anymore” while she was pregnant with Archie.
“I don’t believe a word she says, Meghan Markle,” Morgan said Monday. “I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report.”