Piers Morgan has decided to step down from Good Morning Britain with immediate effect after a furore over his comments regarding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
The 55-year-old prompted more than 41,000 complaints to TV regulator Ofcom for his reaction to the couple's interview with Oprah Winfrey on Monday morning's edition of the breakfast show.
On today's show Morgan stormed off set when confronted by colleague Alex Beresford about his rant, in which he had questioned Meghan and Harry's credibility and referred to the prince as "the bloke that she's sleeping with".
Following the broadcast of a clip in which Meghan had discussed feeling suicidal but received no help from the Palace, Morgan had said: "OK, again, let's have the names. Who did you go to? What did they say to you? I'm sorry, I don't believe a word of what she says, Meghan Markle. I wouldn't believe it if she read me a weather report."
The comment drew complaints from mental health charities, although Morgan clarified on today's programme that he was not questioning whether she felt suicidal but her overall claims against the Royal Family.
In a statement, ITV said: "Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain.
"ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add."
Morgan - an avid user of Twitter - pre-empted ITV's announcement by posting a cryptic GIF of a ticking clock.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 9, 2021
The former CNN host has previously been linked with a move to Andrew Neil's new channel GB News, although his contract with GMB, which had been due to run until the end of the year, would have likely prevented him from taking up such a role until now.
The news comes after a year of rising ratings due to GMB's coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit, and just last Monday the programme reported receiving its highest ever audience share.
Morgan had been the lead male presenter on the show for more than five years.
Neil Wilkes
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