Piers Morgan quit ITV’s Good Morning Britain due to unrelenting criticism for storming off the set Tuesday when he defended the royal family from criticism and accusations of racism Meghan Markle made during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Daily Beast reports.
The UK’s Office of Communications received more than 41,000 complaints in the hours since Morgan called the interview with Meghan and Harry a “trash-a-thon” of the British monarchy after Markle said people within Buckingham Palace questioned what color the skin of the couple’s baby would be, per NBC News. Morgan also mocked Markle’s claim that she had suicidal thoughts.
“I don’t believe a word she says, Meghan Markle,” Morgan said. “I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report and that fact that she fired up this onslaught against our royal family, I think is contemptible.”
Morgan also attempted to normalize the statements about the baby’s skin color, attempting to state that it wasn’t “racist” and that those questions were perfectly normal and acceptable.
On Tuesday, another ITV presenter, Alex Beresford, confronted Morgan about his comments, noting that Morgan has an existing bias against Markle. “I understand that you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle or had one and she cut you off,” Beresford said. “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.”
“You can trash me mate, but not on my own show,” Morgan said as he walked off the set.