Piers Morgan to be investigated by Ofcom as 41,000 complain about Meghan Markle comments

Ofcom is launching a probe into Good Morning Britain after more than 40,000 people complained over Piers Morgan’s comments that he ‘didn’t believe’ Meghan Markle was suicidal.

Piers spent a good portion of Monday morning’s breakfast show condemning Meghan and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, and in doing so claimed that he ‘didn’t believe’ Meghan when she claimed the pressure of being in the Royal family left her suicidal.

The comment sparked major backlash online, with mental health charity Mind among those speaking out against the programme airing his comments, saying how damaging they could be.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: ‘We have launched an investigation into Monday’s episode of Good Morning Britain under our harm and offence rules.’

On Tuesday morning, Piers walked off set of Good Morning Britain after co-star Alex Beresford pulled him up on his conduct surrounding conversations about Meghan Markle.

Piers also addressed the controversy but did not apologise, and stated: ‘I still have serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what she said. But let me just state for the record my position on mental illness and on suicide. 

‘Mental illness and suicide, these are clearly very serious things and should be taken extremely seriously and if somebody is feeling that way they should get the treatment and help that they need every time and if they belong to an institution like the Royal family and they go and seek that help, they should absolutely be given it. 

‘It’s not for me to question whether she felt suicidal, I wasn’t in her mind and that’s for her to say.’ 

Doubling down on his previous criticism, Piers explained: ‘My real concern was a disbelief frankly and I’m prepared to be proven wrong on this and if I’m wrong, it is a scandal, that she went to a senior member of the Royal household, told them she was suicidal and was told she could not have any help because it would be a bad look for the family. 

‘If that was true, A: If they’re still there they should be fired; B: the Royal family has serious questions to be answered about how they handled it.

‘But I would also throw in the mix that Prince Harry himself belongs to the top of several mental health charities, it does raise a question to me, he’s sort of helped himself, why could he not in that eventuality have gone and gotten Meghan the help that she needed maybe via the charities that he represents.’ 

Dr Hilary Jones then weighed in and urged people to take others’ mental health struggles seriously. 

This story is currently being updated.

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