UK broadcaster Piers Morgan has left his role at Good Morning Britain after controversy following his remarks about the Duchess of Sussex's mental health.
Piers Morgan's criticism of Meghan Markle has become more vociferous in the wake of the interview with Oprah Winfrey. Photo: AFP
In a statement today, broadcaster ITV said: "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."
Morgan, a former CNN presenter, has long criticised Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, saying they have damaged the royal family and sought publicity on their own terms without accepting the responsibility and scrutiny that come with the job.
Morgan's criticism of Meghan had become more vociferous in the wake of the interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Morgan cast doubt on Meghan's comments in the interview. When his co-presenter noted that Meghan had said she'd been driven to the verge of taking her own life, Morgan replied: "She says that, yes."
He also 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."
He stormed off the set when a fellow presenter criticised his comments.
Britain's media regulator launched a probe into Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain after receiving complaints about comments made by Morgan in the wake of the interview.
It said in a statement: "We have launched an investigation into Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain under our harm and offence rules."
It said that by Tuesday afternoon (UK time) it had received 41,015 complaints about comments made by Morgan on the breakfast show, which he anchored and is broadcast by ITV.
Photo: AFP
ITV broadcast Oprah Winfrey's interview with Meghan and Harry on Monday evening in which they revealed the depth of her unhappiness within the royal family.
It attracted more than half of the audience watching live TV at that time, with a peak of 12.4 million viewers, ITV said.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has responded to the interview for the first time today.
The race issues addressed by Harry and Meghan in an interview with Oprah Winfrey were "concerning" and will be addressed by the family in private, the palace said in a statement.
Queen Elizabeth and her family said they were were saddened to learn of the couple's experiences.
ITV's CEO responds
Before Morgan's resignation was announced, ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall told reporters she had not spoken to Morgan, but that Kevin Lygo, managing director media and entertainment, had.
"I know Kevin Lygo is speaking to him on a regular basis and has done so in the last couple of days," she said.
McCall, who was presenting ITV's full-year results, said Morgan had "qualified" his earlier comments.
Morgan said: "I still have serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what she said, but let me just state for the record about my position on mental illness and on suicide.
"They should be taken extremely seriously and if someone 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," he said.
McCall said Morgan was a freelance presenter and ITV had no control over his Twitter account, which has 7.7 million followers.
"He's got personal profile on Twitter, it's his personal account," she said. "If it was about our shows, that would be different."
She said she personally believed Meghan, and ITV were committed to supporting mental health. "ITV has many voices and we try and represent many voices on ITV every day," she said. "It's not about one opinion."
ITV reportedly paid 1 million pounds ($NZ1.93m) to broadcast the interview, which was shown in the United States on Sunday.
- Reuters
