Piers Morgan was today sensationally cleared by Ofcom who backed his right to free speech after he said on Good Morning Britain that he &#...
Piers Morgan was today sensationally cleared by Ofcom who backed his right to free speech after he said on Good Morning Britain that he 'didn't believe a word' of what Meghan Markle told Oprah Winfrey.
The UK's broadcasting watchdog called attempts to silence him a 'chilling restriction on freedom of expression' after the Duchess of Sussex was among a wave of people who complained that his questioning of her account of royal racism and suicidal thoughts was 'harmful' and 'offensive' to viewers.
Mr Morgan told MailOnline today: 'I'm delighted that Ofcom has so emphatically supported my right to disbelieve the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's incendiary claims to Oprah Winfrey, many of which have since been proved to be untrue. This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios. In light of this decision – do I get my job back?'
ITV's left-leaning former Guardian chief CEO Dame Carolyn McCall is under pressure to explain why she forced him out hours after the Duchess of Sussex complained to her directly and allegedly demanded his 'head on a plate' because 'they were both women and mothers' in a 'nauseating playing of the gender and maternity card', Mr Morgan said today.
Another critic declared: 'Meghan made ITV roll over' at a time when Dame Carolyn had just signed off on the broadcaster's £1million deal to show the Oprah interview 24 hours after it was broadcast in the US.
Within 48 hours of the Oprah interview on March 7 this year, Mr Morgan was forced to quit GMB after he refused to apologise for his 'honestly held opinions', costing ITV around 790,000 viewers and millions more in advertising revenue with the ratings gap between GMB and rival BBC Breakfast still growing. On the day Piers quit, GMB was in the lead.
Meghan, 40, was among the 57,000 people who went to Ofcom after an orchestrated social media campaign spearheaded by his 'woke' critics including several Labour MPs, who accused him of racism and sexism and asked the regulator to consider if his statements about suicide and mental health were 'harmful and highly offensive' and breached Britain's broadcasting code.
Other complainants to Ofcom accused Piers of failing to be 'duly impartial', 'misrepresenting facts' and 'mocking' Meghan's American accent. Complaints that his views on GMB on March 8 and March 9 were unsuitable for children were also thrown out.
Ofcom today found no rules were breached and backed Mr Morgan's right to 'rigorously challenge' the Duchess's account of suffering suicidal thoughts and claims she experienced racism at the hands of the Royal Family. The decision has led to a flurry of calls demanding he is given his job back, with fans using the hashtag #bringbackpiers claiming the show is 'dying a slow death without him'.
In complete vindication for the journalist, 56, Ofcom ruled: 'Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account'.
And in a damning indictment of his former bosses and the 50,000-plus people who complained, the watchdog found: 'The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of the broadcaster and the audience.
'Overall, Ofcom considered that there is a high public interest value in broadcasting open and frank discussions about race and racism, as long as they comply with the Code. We also considered that the Interview between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey contained serious allegations and it was legitimate for this Programme to discuss and scrutinise those claims'.
Piers Morgan and Good Morning Britain have been cleared of breaching broadcasting standards over a heated debate about Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview where he said that he didn't 'believe a word she says' on March 8 (pictured)
More than 57,000 people - including Meghan - contacted the regulator after the former Good Morning Britain presenter said he didn't believe the Duchess's claims about experiencing suicidal thoughts when she lived at Kensington Palace
GMB overtook BBC Breakfast in its ratings war on the day Piers Morgan resigned - and the ratings gap appears to be growing. BBC Breakfast is the yellow line, GMB is the blue
The 56-year-old host then shocked viewers by walking off camera during a heated on-air row with weatherman Alex Beresford, before quitting the programme hours later after refusing to apologise
Reacting to today's ruling Mr Morgan told MailOnline: 'As OFCOM says, to have stifled my right to express strongly held and robustly argued views would have been an 'unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression. In light of this decision – do I get my job back?'
He added: 'I was reliably informed recently that Meghan Markle wrote directly to my ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall the night before I was forced out, demanding my head on a plate.
'Apparently, she stressed that she was writing to Dame Carolyn personally because they were both women and mothers – a nauseating playing of the gender and maternity card if ever there was one. What has the world come to when a whiny fork-tongued actress can dictate who presents a morning television news programme?'
In what is being hailed as a victory for free speech, today's Ofcom report found:
- The Interview between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey contained serious allegations and it was legitimate for Good Morning Britain to discuss and scrutinise those claims including their veracity;
- Piers Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account;
- The restriction of Mr Morgan's views would be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of ITV and the audience;
Reacting to today's ruling, ITV News royal editor Chris Ship, who appeared on the shows in question, tweeted: 'So what does ITV do about Piers Morgan’s job at Good Morning Britain now Ofcom has cleared him and the TV network of a breach of the broadcasting code?'
Royal biographer Angela Levin, author of 2018 book Harry: Conversations with the Prince, said today: 'Marvellous result from Ofcom that Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah can be criticised. Upbeat for freedom of expression. I also wonder if Piers Morgan will get his job back.'
Royal expert Robert Jobson said: 'Well done Piers Morgan on the Ofcom decision. A victory for common sense and free speech.'
One Tory MP welcomed the decision and said: 'It is a question of free speech. He [Piers] shouldn't be censored for what he says. I think the views he expresses, many people in the country would probably agree with.
'It is common sense: You don't have to like what he says but he has a right to say it.'
They added: 'I would be extremely nervous if a regulator was stopping people on TV saying what they thought.'
This morning's ruling is highly damaging and embarrassing to ITV who face questions over its failure to protect the free speech of its star presenter, who quit 48 hours later after the former Suits actress complained directly to chief executive Carolyn McCall who ordered him to apologise.
The Duchess of Sussex told tens of millions of people that an unnamed royal was racist towards Archie, said Kate Middleton made her cry in a row over bridesmaids dresses and accused Buckingham Palace of ignoring her pleas for help when she was pregnant and suicidal.
In the hours after the interview aired in the US, which 'exploded' Harry and Meghan's relationship with the Royal Family, Mr Morgan told Good Morning Britain viewers: 'I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she says. I wouldn't believe her if she read me a weather report. The fact she has expressed an onslaught against our Royal Family is contemptible'. And on her claims she told palace officials she 'didn't want to be alive anymore', Piers asked: 'Who did you go to? What did they say?'.
Mr Morgan also said on the breakfast news show, whose ratings he transformed during his six years as presenter, that Meghan had 'scripted in' discussions on mental health and race that could 'be played against the Royal Family'.
At the time of the interview, The Times reported that palace staff had accused Meghan of being a bully.
Mr Morgan said: 'Her camp immediately said: 'They can't be believed. Those victims can't be believed'. And yet we're supposed to believe everything Meghan Markle now says about her own terrible ordeal of bullying and racism and all the rest of it? You can't have it both ways. We're not allowed to believe the apparent victims of her own bullying, but we have to believe everything she says'.
More than 57,000 viewers complained to Ofcom after the presenter's gave his view on Meghan's performance. Hours later ITV executive Kevin Lygo is said to have told off Piers before the channel's chief executive Ms McCall, the former boss of the left-wing Guardian newspaper, sided with the duchess in a public statement and said: 'I completely believe what she [Meghan] said'.
The following day he then shocked viewers by walking off camera during a heated on-air row with weatherman Alex Beresford who accused him of unfairly 'trashing' Meghan. Piers quit the programme hours later.
Mr Morgan is understood to have again been ordered to apologise - but he refused and quit instead saying he had the right to tell viewers his 'honestly held opinions' and declaring: 'Freedom of speech is a hill I'm happy to die on'.
Ofcom's ruling said: 'Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account. The Code allows for individuals to express strongly held and robustly argued views, including those that are potentially harmful or highly offensive, and for broadcasters to include these in their programming. The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of the broadcaster and the audience.
'Overall, Ofcom considered that there is a high public interest value in broadcasting open and frank discussions about race and racism, as long as they comply with the Code. As set out above, we also considered that the Interview between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey contained serious allegations and it was legitimate for this Programme to discuss and scrutinise those claims.
'The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of the broadcaster and the audience
'Ofcom is clear that, consistent with freedom of expression, Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account'.
Piers Morgan said his win was a 'resounding victory for free speech' and asked if he would be getting his GMB job back
Fans have urged ITV to 'do the right thing' and get the star back on their show
Mr Morgan's former co-host Susanna Reid retweeted the Ofcom result today in tacit support of her friend
The episode on March 8 became the most complained about moment in the watchdog's history, with more than 50,000 people complaining.
And later it emerged that Meghan had made a formal complaint to ITV about Morgan.
Morgan's comments were criticised by mental health charity Mind and Ofcom has said a significant number of the complaints claimed his remarks could potentially dissuade viewers experiencing suicidal thoughts of their own from seeking help, for fear of not being believed or taken seriously.
Viewers accused Mr Morgan of 'harmful rhetoric' that 'made a mockery of suicide' and of 'belittling' the Duchess of Sussex's personal account of experiences of racism.
But today the regulator announced that the programme had not breached the broadcasting code.
In a 26-page decision summary, Ofcom said that the programme 'contained statements about suicide and mental health' which could be 'harmful and highly offensive' but that there was 'sufficient challenge to provide adequate protection and context to its viewers'.
It continued: 'We also considered that the comments about race in the programme could have been potentially highly offensive, but that the comments were sufficiently contextualised.
'Therefore, our Decision is that the programme did not breach the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.'
Mr Morgan no longer works on GMB, having quit the ITV show on the evening of March 9 shortly after Ofcom launched its investigation under its harm and offence rules. His departure was announced by ITV's director of television Kevin Lygo.
Since then Good Morning Britain's ratings have plunged as the show has failed to find a replacement host with a string of stand-in appearances.
The ruling by Ofcom puts CEO Carolyn McCall – formerly of the left-wing Guardian newspaper - under pressure to explain why she did not stick by Mr Morgan, a decision which has cost the station millions.
The report covers Good Morning Britain's shows on the mornings of March 8 and 9 which were presented by Mr Morgan and co-host Susanna Reid, with the first episode coming hours after the Oprah interview with the Sussexes aired.
It focuses heavily on part of the opening discussion from March 8 in which the hosts play a clip of Meghan talking about having suicidal thoughts.
In the CBS interview, which also aired on ITV later, the Duchess of Sussex tells Oprah 'I just didn't want to be alive anymore', that these suicidal thoughts were 'very, very clear' and 'I needed to go somewhere to get help'.
Going back to the studio for reaction, Mr Morgan responded to the clip saying: 'I don't believe a word she says, Meghan Markle. I wouldn't believe it if she read me the weather report.'
Ms Reid hit back at Mr Morgan, saying: 'Well that's a pretty unsympathetic reaction to someone who has expressed those thoughts,' adding that the comments could not be 'brushed over'.
Ofcom said Mr Morgan appeared to 'disbelieve' what Meghan had said on having suicidal thoughts, adding that they had 'concerns audience members may have been discouraged from seeking help about their mental health'.
However in their ruling, the regulator said Mr Morgan's opinion was clearly challenged in interventions by Ms Reid and ITV's Royal Editor Chris Ship.
In concluding remarks, Ofcom added: 'We were particularly concerned about Mr Morgan's approach to such an important and serious issue and his apparent disregard for the seriousness of anyone expressing suicidal thoughts.
'Had it not been for the extensive challenge offered throughout the Programme by Ms Reid and Mr Ship, we would have been seriously concerned.'
Ofcom said today that Piers Morgan's comments on the Duchess of Sussex's interview with Oprah Winfrey were 'potentially harmful and offensive' but ruled Good Morning Britain was not in breach the broadcasting code.
An Ofcom spokesman said: 'This was a finely-balanced decision. Mr Morgan's comments were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers, and we recognise the strong public reaction to them. But we also took full account of freedom of expression. Under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, and the strong challenge to Mr Morgan from other contributors provided important context for viewers.
'Nonetheless, we've reminded ITV to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future. ITV might consider the use of timely warnings or signposting of support services to ensure viewers are properly protected.'
Ofcom also received 802 messages that expressed support for Mr Morgan and objected to his 'removal' from Good Morning Britain.
Ofcom added that they approached ITV for a comment on their preliminary view that the programme was not in breach of the code, but the corporation declined to comment.
Mr Morgan however gave a personal response to the preliminary decision, saying that views that 'had the potential to be offensive also had the potential not to be' and it would not be right for Ofcom to 'shut down' alternative points of view.
He added it was 'perfectly reasonable' for a journalist to ask a question regarding discussions in bi-racial families about the skin colour of an unborn child in an appropriate context - a reference to Harry and Meghan's claim that one royal asked 'how dark' their child's skin would be.
Within days of Mr Morgan quitting the show, nearly 200,000 people had signed petitions demanding he be reinstated to his presenter role.
Mr Morgan responded to the soaring petitions on Twitter, writing that although the support came as a 'pleasant surprise' he would not be returning to GMB.
It later emerged that Ms Markle had herself 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.
The interview in which she made the claims to interviewer Oprah Winfrey received 4,398 complaints.
Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind, which had previously criticised Mr Morgan’s comments, said today: ‘Today’s ruling by Ofcom found that, although Good Morning Britain was not in breach of its broadcasting rules, Piers Morgan’s comments during the programme were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers.
‘Ofcom’s ruling also stated the need for broadcasters to take particular care over how mental health as a subject is presented to audiences, so as ‘not to convey a message that sharing experiences of poor mental health could be met with disbelief, derision, or a lack of sympathy’.
Since Mr Morgan's departure, Good Morning Britain's ratings have plunged as the show has failed to find a successful replacement host with a string of stand-in appearances
No comments