Piers Morgan’s comments about Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey have led to the highest number of complaints in UK TV regulator Ofcom’s history.
The episodes of ITV’s Good Morning Britain on March 8 and 9 sparked 57,121 complaints, far exceeding the 25,327 made about about Celebrity Big Brother in 2018 when ex-Emmerdale actress Roxanne Pallett alleged she had been assaulted by fellow housemate Ryan Thomas.
ITV announced Morgan had left the show on the evening of March 9, shortly after Ofcom said it had launched an investigation under its harm and offence rules, after receiving more than 41,000 complaints in two days.
It later emerged that Meghan also made a formal complaint to Ofcom about the TV host after he dismissed her account of suffering suicidal thoughts and experiencing racism at the hands of the royal family.
Meghan Markle
Morgan said on-air that he “didn’t believe a word” of her interview with chat show host Winfrey when she laid bare her struggles.
She raised concerns with the broadcaster about the effect Morgan’s comments may have on the issue of mental health generally and those attempting to deal with their own problems – and not about the former newspaper editor’s personal attack on herself.
After a clip aired of Meghan discussing her issues with mental health and suicidal thoughts and royal official’s knowledge of them, Morgan said during Monday’s programme:
“I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she says. I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report.”
Morgan added she had sparked an “onslaught” against the royal family.
His comments were criticised by mental health charity Mind.
