Piers Morgan has revealed he quit Good Morning Britain this week, after he was asked to publicly apologise for comments he made about Meghan Markle.
The 55-year-old announced his departure from GMB on Tuesday, after ITV received a formal complaint from the Duchess of Sussex, over comments he made about her interview with Oprah Winfrey.
On Monday’s episode of GMB, Piers and his co-hosts were discussing Meghan and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah when he said: “I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she says… I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report.”
The 55-year-old was widely criticised for his comments, as Meghan opened up about her mental health in the interview, and admitted she felt suicidal during her time as a senior working member of the Royal family.
Ofcom has since launched an investigation into Monday’s episode of GMB, after it received over 40,000 complaints.
In a lengthy statement shared on Instagram today, Piers stood by his decision, and stressed the importance of free speech.
He wrote: “To all my supporters, I just wanted to drop you a note of thanks. (To all my haters, whatever.) It has been an extraordinary week for me, for Britain, for our monarchy and for our future.”
“Those of you that know me well enough know that, despite my many faults, I’m always willing to stand my ground for the things that I think matter most.”
“My fervent opposition to the Iraq War led to my demise from the Daily Mirror. My outspoken views on the insanity of American gun laws led to the end of my time at CNN.”
“And now I’ve lost my job at Good Morning Britain because I chose not to apologise for disbelieving Meghan Markle’s claims in her interview with Oprah Winfrey,” he continued.
“I thus became the latest ‘victim’ of the cancel culture that is permeating our country, every minute, of every hour, of everyday. Though of course, I consider myself to be neither a victim, nor actually cancelled.”
“However, I do believe the defence of free speech and the right to express honestly held opinions, is the most important issue of my career, and the most important issue in British society,” Piers wrote.
“If you’d like to show your support for me, please order a copy of my book Wake Up on Amazon. It’s less than a tenner, and I didn’t write it to make more money but because the very foundations of democracy, built upon freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom of speech, are under attack like never before and must be defended.”
“It is a privilege to live in a democracy, and it is a privilege to be British. As I said when I left GMB, the right to free speech is a hill worth dying on. So, have a read, and if you like it, give it to one of your friends.”
The broadcaster concluded his statement by writing: “This is not simply an act of defiance, but a commitment to our collective futures.”
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