Piers Morgan walks off during live filming of Good Morning Britain after conflict over his comments on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview. Photo / Supplied
Piers Morgan walks off during live filming of Good Morning Britain after conflict over his comments on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview. Photo / Supplied
Controversial TV host Piers Morgan appears to be having the last laugh after his dramatic exit from Good Morning Britain.
Morgan stormed off the set of the popular UK morning show on Wednesday after clashing with co-host Alex Beresford over his repeated attacks on Meghan and Prince Harry, which intensifiedin the wake of their explosive Oprah interview.
The Duchess of Sussex filed a formal complaint to broadcaster ITV regarding Morgan's wording regarding mental heath, after she told Oprah she had experienced suicidal thoughts.
Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey proved to be popular viewing around the globe. Photo / AP
Network bosses had ordered Morgan to apologise on air, but the personality refused, and instead resigned live on air.
He later doubled down on his decision, saying he was willing to "fall on his sword" after "agreeing to disagree" with ITV over apologising for the rant and claiming he was sticking up for free speech.
"I don't believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth and I think the damage she's done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible," he said.
"If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.
"I think it's fair to say, although the woke crowd will think that they've cancelled me, I think they will be rather disappointed when I re-emerge."
But Morgan's departure immediately took a financial toll on ITV, with The Guardian reporting almost £200m ($387,442,000) had been wiped off ITV's market value in the aftermath.
The day after his resignation, the broadcaster's share price had fallen by a significant 3.8 per cent.
Piers Morgan walks off during live filming of Good Morning Britain after conflict over his comments on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview. Photo / Supplied
ITV scored the exclusive UK rights to the broadcast of the Oprah interview, with more than 12 million viewers tuning in.
Record numbers also turned to ITV in the wake of the tell-all to hear Morgan's take, with that edition of Good Morning Britain beating rival BBC Breakfast for the first time.
During that edition, Morgan insisted he "didn't believe a word" of what the Duchess of Sussex said, after she opened up about her mental health battles and suicidal thoughts.
"I wouldn't believe it if she read me a weather report," he said on-air, sparking significant backlash.
He later returned to the show to clarify his "position on mental illness and on suicide".
Piers Morgan clashed with colleagues over his Meghan comments. Photo / Supplied
"These are clearly extremely serious things and should be taken extremely seriously and if someone is feeling that way they should get the treatment and the help they need every time," he said.
"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 added that it was not his place to question if Meghan was suicidal, as he was "not in her mind".
Morgan's departure has been celebrated by many of his high-profile enemies, including actress Jameela Jamil, who revealed her own conflict with the host had sparked mental health struggles on Twitter.
"I almost killed myself a year ago because of Piers Morgan's relentless campaign of lies and hatred against me last February. I'm glad I'm still alive today for many reasons. But watching him leave GMB today is right up there …" she wrote in response to his resignation.
US comedian Chelsea Handler also slammed Morgan in a tweet following his departure, as did Meghan's former Suits co-star Patrick J. Adams.
Cry not for @piersmorgan - there are plenty of bridges for him to find work under. Sincerely, the “jumped up twerp”.
"It's amazing that @piersmorgan calls himself a journalist when time and time again, he seems to have missed the women's movement. Or any movement really. Another day, another racist old white man using his privilege to throw tantrums on TV," Handler wrote.
