Meghan Markle reportedly filed a formal complaint with ITV following Piers Morgan‘s critical comments about her mental health. During Monday morning’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Morgan sparked outrage and criticism from his fellow co-hosts after he said he did not believe Markle when she revealed to Oprah Winfrey that she had suicidal thoughts during her time in the U.K.
According to both The Guardian and The Telegraph, shortly after Morgan made the controversial remarks, representatives for the duchess lodged a formal complaint with ITV on Markle’s behalf. An ITV spokesperson did not deny the reports when reached for comment by The Telegraph. Several other outlets, including Deadline and The Independent, have reached out for further comment, though ITV said they would not provide further comment on the matter.
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During her tell-all interview with Winfrey, which aired on Sunday, Markle detailed her troubling experience in the U.K. and revealed she struggled with her mental health amid a barrage of negative press and lack of support from “the firm.” She told Winfrey, “it was all happening just because I was breathing,” revealing that she “just didn’t want to be alive anymore. That was a clear, real, frightening and constant thought.” Markle said she attempted to seek help from the “institution” but was told they couldn’t protect her because she wasn’t “a paid employee.”
During Monday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Morgan, one of Markle’s most vocal critics, cast doubt on her claims, asking, “Who did you go to? What did they say to you? I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report.”
His remarks immediately sparked outrage, and along with a formal complaint on behalf of the duchess, UK media regulator Ofcom had received more than 41,000 complaints about Morgan’s comments. Ofcom later launched an investigation into whether Morgan’s remarks broke the UK broadcasting code relating to harm and offense. On Tuesday, Morgan offered further comment, telling viewers that he doesn’t “believe what Meghan Markle is saying generally in this interview, and I still have serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what she said,” though “these are clearly extremely serious things that should be taken extremely seriously, and if someone is feeling that way they should get the treatment and help they need every time.”
On Tuesday, ITV released a statement announcing that Morgan “has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.” On Twitter, Morgan defended his remarks, writing, “On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I’ve had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don’t. If you did, OK. Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
