Piers Morgan to quit Good Morning Britain after Meghan Markle row

It comes after the presenter stormed off the breakfast show this morning amid a row about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Weather presenter Alex Beresford said his colleague's speech about the royal couple during Monday's show had been "incredibly hard to watch" and defended the pair, adding that the "bad press" surrounding them had been damaging to Meghan's mental health.

READ MORE: Piers Morgan walks off GMB in clash over Meghan Markle comments

After a clip aired of Meghan discussing her issues with mental health, suicidal thoughts and royal official’s knowledge of them during Sunday's interview with Oprah Winfrey, 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.”

Piers Morgan stormed off the Good Morning Britain set after being confronted by fellow presenter Alex Beresford over his comments on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Morgan added she had sparked an “onslaught” against the royal family.

His comments were criticised by mental health charity Mind.

TV watchdog Ofcom has since launched an investigation into the presenter's comments.

The organisation received more than 41,000 complaints about his remarks on Monday during Good Morning Britain.

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

During today’s programme, Morgan addressed his comments about Meghan’s mental health.

Sure. I just prefer not to sit there listening to colleagues call me diabolical. https://t.co/ASrypakZdu

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 9, 2021

He said: “When we talked about this yesterday, I said as an all-encompassing thing I don’t believe what Meghan Markle is saying generally in this interview, and I still have serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what she said.

“But let me just state on the record my position about mental illness and on suicide. These are clearly extremely serious things that should be taken extremely seriously, and if someone is feeling that way they should get the treatment and help they need every time.”

Weather presenter Beresford defended the couple, who have made global headlines following their bombshell interview with Winfrey.

He took Morgan to task, saying: “I understand you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off.

Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain

“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.”

ITV’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall subsequently said on Tuesday the row was not “manufactured”.

Dame Carolyn added that ITV managing director of media and entertainment Kevin Lygo had been in discussion with Morgan in recent days regarding his coverage of the Harry and Meghan interview.

She said Good Morning Britain was a “balanced show”, adding: “ITV has many voices and we try and represent many voices every day. It’s not about one opinion.”

Harry and Meghan, now living in the US, made a number of explosive revelations in their interview, among them an allegation that a member of the family – not the Queen or Duke of Edinburgh – had made a racist comment about their unborn son, Archie.

During the interview, which first aired in the US and was broadcast on ITV on Monday night, Meghan spoke openly about her mental health, telling Winfrey she had had suicidal thoughts and had asked to go somewhere to get help, but was told it would not look good by one of the most senior people in the institution.

A statement issued by Buckingham Palace on behalf of the Queen on Tuesday said the royal family was “saddened” by the revelations made in the interview and the issues raised around race were “concerning”.