Viewers hit out at ITV in wake of Piers Morgan’s comments on Meghan Markle amid mental health campaign

Viewers have criticised ITV in the wake of comments made by Piers Morgan on Meghan Markle discussing her mental health.

In an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired in the US on Sunday, the Duchess of Sussex revealed she considered taking her own life when she was pregnant with her son Archie.

On Monday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Piers said he ‘doesn’t believe’ she had suicidal thoughts.

‘Who did you go to? What did they say to you? I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me weather report. The fact that she’s fired up this onslaught against our Royal family I think is contemptible,’ he said on the ITV programme.

His co-host Susanna Reid called his comments a ‘pathetic reaction’ while royal correspondent Chris Shipp added: ‘Someone saying they had suicidal thoughts, I don’t think you can say that she was lying at that point. She had these thoughts, petty serious ones and took them to HR.

‘We talked last week about Buckingham Palace’s HR department, what did they do about the victims when this bullying complaint about Meghan was put in.’

Reacting to the moment, viewers hit out at ITV as the broadcaster runs a mental wellness campaign, called Britain Get Talking, encouraging people to talk to connect with someone and share how they are feeling.

One viewer tweeted: ‘Piers morgan saying “i don’t believe her” about meghan markle claiming she felt suicidal is such a dangerous message to put out there on LIVE NATIONAL TV (sic).

‘ITV, what about your “britain get talking” campaign? how are you letting this man say stuff like this and get away with it?’

Another wrote: ‘@ITV you have a #bekind campaign!

‘Why was @piersmorgan allowed to continue presenting @GMB this morning after stating he doesn’t believe that Meghan had thoughts of taking her life & trying to seek help???’

A further tweet read: ‘As someone who suffers from mental health issues, for him to call Meghan a liar I find disgusting. He should apologize. So much for ITV’s Be Kind campaign.’

‘Hi @ITV I’m confused. Do you REALLY care abt MH bc today @piersmorgan dismissed it as unbelievable,’ read another comment.

One tweeted: ‘Piers going on TV and saying he doesn’t “believe” someones mental health issues is a very dangerous precedent to set on a big network like ITV (sic)’.

The presenter himself reacted to the backlash on Twitter, referring to previous attempts to have him removed from the daytime programme.

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Lots of people on here want me fired for expressing my opinion on the Pinocchio Princess. If you want to join them, there are various petitions still doing the rounds from the last few times you’ve all tried, and failed, to have me fired for saying what I think.

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 8, 2021

He wrote: ‘Lots of people on here want me fired for expressing my opinion on the Pinocchio Princess. If you want to join them, there are various petitions still doing the rounds from the last few times you’ve all tried, and failed, to have me fired for saying what I think.’

The TV host later tweeted: ‘I just don’t believe that anyone at the Palace would have refused to help her if she told them she felt suicidal. As with her racism claims, if this happened we need names or everyone there gets smeared with the same terrible charge.’

During Monday’s programme, Piers – a long time critic of Meghan and her husband Prince Harry – continued to defend the Royal family, calling for the couple to name the people they claimed had ‘concerns’ over ‘how dark’ Archie would be when he was born.

ITV declined to comment when contacted by Metro.co.uk.

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