Piers Morgan quits Good Morning Britain – a timeline of how it happened

Piers Morgan has left Good Morning Britain following a shocking 48 hours that saw Ofcom receive 41,000 complaints.

ITV confirmed on Tuesday evening that Piers, 55, had decided it was ‘time to leave’ the morning show he fronted with Susanna Reid for five years.

The decision followed comments made by Piers about Meghan Markle’s mental health and the journalist storming off set after a row with Alex Beresford.

Here is the timeline of what led to the departure of morning television’s most divisive figure.

Meghan Markle’s comments about mental health

On Sunday night, a highly anticipated interview between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey aired on CBS in the States, before being broadcast on ITV in the UK the following evening.

During the interview, bombshell claims were made about members of the Royal family allegedly raising concerns over what colour Archie’s skin would be, and Prince Charles reportedly not taking his son Harry’s calls.

Meghan spoke to Oprah on her own at the beginning of the chat, and said that the constant abuse she received after marrying Harry made her suicidal.

She said: ‘Look, I was really ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry especially, because I know how much loss he has suffered, but I knew that if I didn’t say it, then I would do it. I just didn’t want to be alive anymore.’

The Duchess of Sussex then claimed that she asked ‘the institution’ for help, but was refused psychiatric treatment, saying: ‘I went to Human Resources but they said: ‘There is nothing we can do to help you because you are not a paid member of the institution.’ Nothing was ever done.’

What did Piers Morgan say about Meghan Markle?

Considering Piers’ long-running dislike of Meghan which has seen him call her everything from ‘me-me-me-Meghan’ to a ‘Kardashian wannabe’, his response to her and Harry’s interview was always going to be intense.

However, it was his comments about her mental health that put the wheels in motion on his exit.

He said: ‘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.’

Susanna Reid argued: ‘Well, that’s a pathetic reaction to someone who has expressed those thoughts.’

Royal expert Chris Ship also defended Meghan and said: ‘Someone saying they had suicidal thoughts, I don’t think you can say that she was lying at that point. She had these thoughts, pretty 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.’

Piers replied: ‘On that point Chris, her camp immediately said they can’t be believed. Those victims can’t be believed. Now we’re supposed to believe everything Meghan Markle has said about her own terrible ordeal of bullying and racism and the rest of it. You can’t have it both ways.

‘You’re not allowed to believe the victims of her own bullying, but we have to believe everything she says.’

Mind speaks out against ITV

The mental health charity Mind has worked with ITV on their nationwide mental health campaign Britain Get Talking, and called Piers’ comments ‘concerning’.

A statement read: ‘We were disappointed and concerned to see Piers Morgan’s comments on not believing Meghan’s experiences about suicidal thoughts today.

‘We are in conversations with ITV about this at the moment. If you or anyone you know is feeling impacted by the discussions that have taken place today, please reach out for support using the signposts in the thread below.’

‘It’s vital that when people reach out for support or share their experiences of ill mental health that they are treated with dignity, respect and empathy.’

ITV responded: ‘ITV is committed to mental health and wellbeing and working with our charity partners on Britain Get Talking, which is about encouraging people to talk about their mental health.

‘It is very important that if anyone has suicidal thoughts that they should always speak out and be listened to.’

ITV CEO Dame Carolyn McCall also said that the channel believed Meghan.

Piers storms off GMB in row with Alex Beresford

Weather reporter Alex has had many tense conversations with Piers over race and particularly Meghan Markle and claims that much of the abuse against her is racially motivated.

On Tuesday morning’s show, Alex pulled his colleague up on his conduct while defending Harry and Meghan.

He said: ‘They’ve had an overwhelming amount of negative press… I hear Piers say William has gone through the same thing but you know, siblings experience tragedy in their life and one will be absolutely fine and brush it off and the other will not be able to deal with it so strongly and that is clearly what has happened with Harry in this situation.

‘He walked behind his mother’s coffin at a tender, tender age in front of the globe. That is going to shape a young boy for the rest of his life. So I think that we all need to take a step back.’

Turning to Piers, he then said: ‘I understand that you don’t like Meghan Markle you’ve made that so clear a number of times on this programme. I understand that you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle or had one and she cut you off.

‘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.’

Piers got up and walked off the set, saying: ‘I’m done with this. Sorry. You can trash me, mate, but not on my own show’, with Alex calling his behaviour ‘diabolical’.

Piers later returned to the set, and said: ‘What we need to do, Alex, is talk to each other in a civilised manner, given we work on the same show on the same team. You launching into a pretty personally derogatory monologue on one of your colleagues probably isn’t one of the best ways to go about it.

‘As much as I’d like to sit here taking abuse from you, that’s not going to happen.’

Ofcom receives 41,000 complaints

Ofcom, the communications services regulator, confirmed that it would be launching an investigation into Good Morning Britain after receiving 41,000 complaints about Piers’ comments in 24 hours.

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

ITV confirms Piers has left GMB

On Tuesday night, ITV confirmed that Piers would no longer host Good Morning Britain.

A short statement read: ‘Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain.

‘ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.’

A report from The Sun later claimed that Piers had quit after refusing to apologise on-air for his comments.

Piers stands by his comments

On Tuesday morning’s show, Piers had clarified his comments, saying: ‘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.’ 

However, tweeting after the news of his departure was made public, Piers stood by what he said.

He wrote: ‘On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I’ve had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don’t. If you did, OK. Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on. Thanks for all the love, and hate. I’m off to spend more time with my opinions.’

Meghan ‘lodged formal complaint’ with ITV

It has now been claimed that Meghan lodged a formal complaint with ITV about Piers’ comments about her on Monday’s show, before the star’s departure was announced.

Piers claims he’s been ‘cancelled’

Speaking to reporters outside his home, the journalist said he ‘agreed to disagree’ with ITV.

He said: ‘I believe in freedom of speech, I believe in the right to be allowed to have an opinion. If people want to believe Meghan Markle, that’s entirely their right.

‘I don’t believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth and I think the damage she;d one to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible.’

Piers added: ‘I think it’s fair to say, although the woke crowd will think that they’ve cancelled me, I think they will be rather disappointed when I re-emerge. I would call it a temporary hibernation.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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