Piers Morgan would be 'asset' to GB News says Andrew Neil
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Piers Morgan, 55, has opened up about his version of events following his Meghan Markle comments and subsequent exit on Good Morning Britain. The presenter revealed he was told to either “apologise” or quit by ITV bosses after the backlash over what he said.
Piers left GMB on March 9 following the huge backlash he received for his comments about Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The Duchess of Sussex spoke in the candid chat on CBS with her husband Prince Harry about why they decided to leave the Royal Family.
After it aired, Piers appeared on GMB and claimed he did not believe her, prompting more than 57,000 people to complain to the regulatory board Ofcom.
Now the presenter has shared the events which led to him leaving the show that day.
He explained: “Mid-afternoon, Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Director of Television, who I’d spoken to several times since yesterday (March 8), rang to say we were now ‘on the cliff edge’ and either I apologised, or I would have to leave GMB.
“I appreciated his directness – we’ve always had a very open, honest and humorous relationship – and said I’d call him back when I’d thought it over.
“I went for a walk and spoke to a couple of close, trusted friends.
“One thought I should just apologise, take the hit and move on.
“The other was emphatic: don’t apologise.”
Piers spoke about the moment in his latest column for the Daily Mail, admitting how he made the decision.
The outspoken journalist admitted he thought about what his late manager John Ferriter would have told him to do.
Therefore, he instead opted to pursue “freedom of speech” and not apologise for his words.
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He continued: “Suddenly, I reached a moment of total gut clarity: f**k it, I wasn’t going to apologise for disbelieving Meghan Markle, because the truth is that I don’t believe Meghan Markle.
“And in a free, democratic society, I should be allowed not to believe someone, and to say that I don’t believe them.
“That, surely, is the very essence of freedom of speech?
“If I said I now believed Meghan, I would be lying to the audience, the very thing I’ve accused her of doing.
“And even if I did apologise, that wouldn’t be the end of it. The woke brigade would keep coming for me, demanding I apologise for everything else they find offensive – which of course, is absolutely everything.
“I called Kevin back, said I wouldn’t be apologising, and we agreed I’d leave GMB with immediate effect.”
ITV confirmed Piers exited the show that evening in a statement.
This 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.”
In his column, Piers also claimed he wasn’t initially told by ITV to apologise but instead asked to clarify his position.
Express.co.uk has reached out to ITV for comment on Piers’ remarks.
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