Meghan Markle files complaint to ITV for Piers Morgan’s Good Morning Britain statements

Meghan Markle has lodged a complaint to ITV following Piers Morgan's offensive comments about her mental health

TUPOU COLLEGE TOLOA, TONGA - OCTOBER 26: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex talks with students during a visit to Tupou College in Tonga on October 26, 2018. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are on day 11 of their 16-day tour of Australia and the South Pacific. (Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth - Pool/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth - Pool/Getty Images)

Meghan Markle has lodged a formal complaint to ITV following Piers Morgan’s explosive on-air rant, network insiders have confirmed. 

The former Good Morning Britain host shocked viewers of Monday’s episode after he dismissed Meghan’s claims during her interview with Oprah that she felt suicidal. He again hit headlines yesterday when he stormed off set amidst a heated exchange with weatherman Alex Beresford, who accused him of a relentless pursuit to ‘trash’ the Duchess of Sussex. 

Piers has refused to apologize for his comments on the royal’s mental health and has officially left Good Morning Britain after a six-year tenure. 

It has now emerged that Meghan lodged a complaint about Piers’ offensive rant, in which she raised concerns on how his comments could affect others who are struggling. Piers blatantly rejected the duchess’s claims of feeling suicidal on Monday, inciting widespread outrage from the public. 

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"I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she said, Meghan Markle,” he said. “I wouldn't believe it if she read me a weather report. The fact that she's fired up this onslaught against our Royal Family I think is contemptible."

Piers quickly found himself in hot water, with UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom receiving over 41,000 complaints on his comments. 

ITV royal editor Chris Ship confirmed today that the duchess herself had sent a letter of complaint to the broadcaster’s CEO. 

“Meghan raised concerns about how @piersmorgan’s words affect the issue of mental health and what it might do to others contemplating suicide,” he wrote on Twitter. 

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Piers has defended his comments following his departure from Good Morning Britain, telling his Instagram followers that he still doesn’t believe Meghan’s statements. 

His dramatic exit from the show has received a huge amount of attention from his fellow media personalities. Radio presenter Jameela Jamil celebrated his resignation on Twitter, recalling how he left her feeling suicidal following a 'campaign of lies and hatred' against her last year, while Susanna Reid said farewell to her former co-host in a cool statement on Good Morning Britain today. The longstanding presenter, who was known for dismissing Piers' controversial views on-air, openly disagreed with Piers' comments about Meghan on Monday. 

Not everyone was happy to see the fiery TV host go though. Sharon Osbourne, who served as a judge alongside Piers on Britain's Got Talent, took to Twitter to defend his actions. 

"I am with you. I stand by you," she wrote. "People forget that you’re paid for your opinion and that you’re just speaking your truth."

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.