Questions remained last night over whether there’s still a slim chance that Piers Morgan could return to host Good Morning Britain after he was triumphantly cleared of breaching broadcasting rules by Ofcom.
The presenter’s former ITV colleagues and a string of esteemed broadcasters yesterday hailed the regulator’s decision confirming his right to free speech after dismissing more than 57,000 grievances about his criticism of Meghan Markle including not believing a word she told Oprah Winfrey about her experiences of suicidal thoughts.
Last night a newspaper outlet reported that ITV’s director of television Kevin Lygo, described as a huge supporter of Piers Morgan, was on a one-man mission to bring him back, although an insider said he was currently fighting a losing battle internally.
The development came after the UK’s broadcasting watchdog called attempts to quell MailOnline columnist Piers Morgan a chilling restraint on freedom of expression after the Duchess of Sussex was amongst a swarm of people who complained that his questioning of her account of royal racism and suicidal thoughts was harmful and offensive to viewers.
Following the announcement, however, ITV revealed they have no current plans to invite him to present Good Morning Britain, with one source saying that Piers Morgan chose to leave and that they accept his decision.
And a newspaper outlet said that despite Mr Lygo’s lobbying, Good Morning Britain bosses viewed there was a slim to no chance that Piers Morgan would return to the ITV show, which he quit in the aftermath of the coverage of Meghan and Harry’s Oprah Winfrey interview which Ofcom went on to investigate.
It remains to be seen if other hosting roles at the network could be made available.
Speaking about losing his GMB job yesterday after the Ofcom decision, Piers Morgan said that he didn’t want to lose his job in the first place, but that he only really wanted to work for someone who supports freedom of speech and free expression, and that he felt that ITV had let him down and let their viewers down.
Petitions to have Piers Morgan reinstated in his GMB role are still being signed, with three different appeals on Change.org reaching a cumulative total of 264,201 signatures.
Executives at ITV are currently hunting for a possible permanent replacement as the programme struggles with viewer numbers, and it’s thought that Martin Lewis and Richard Bacon are amongst the favourites.
Piers Morgan ran from the set like a frightened puppy. He speaks of free speech but then he ran from the set when someone dared to use their free speech to express a difference of opinion.
Perhaps Piers Morgan only said what most viewers were thinking, but it’s not what he says, it’s the way that he says it that offends. People should be allowed to say what they think, but they should think it through before they open their big fat mouths.
But love him or loathe him, he only says what most people are thinking, but are too afraid to say, although he should be careful how he says things because not everyone is the same and some may take offence – not to what he’s saying, how he’s saying it, as he usually comes across as being especially rude and cruel, and frequently comes across as being a detestable bully, but on the other hand, perhaps he does have some kind of agenda.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 