Following his on-air statements that he did not believe Meghan when she claimed she felt “suicidal” as a royal, the former Good Morning Britain (GMB) host resigned his job on the ITV breakfast program, claiming he was instructed by ITV to either apologize or go. With over 50,000 individuals complaining about the program, which broadcast on March 8 this year, it became the most complained about moment in the watchdog’s history. Meghan had also filed an official complaint to ITV about Piers, it was later revealed.

According to Ofcom, he was “entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account”

Sussex supporters were eager to express their displeasure with the “disgraceful” decision.

“They’ve defended the worst behaviour,” one individual wrote.

Another said: “Disappointing that Ofcom can make this decision.”

A third person commented: “Absolute joke. What was the point?”

A fourth wrote, “Disgraceful.”

Other users expressed their dissatisfaction with the outcome, with one stating, “To all the people who were affected by Piss Morgan, I’m sending a hug.”

Also, someone else wrote: “Shows you how important anyone’s mental health, bullying and slander are to their “code’”. Quite disgusting really.”

Another commenter observed that Piers seems to be getting away with making several nasty remarks about Meghan throughout the years, regardless of whether or not they were true.

“So publicly harassing and abusing someone for years is free speech, who knew?” they added.

Verdict

Morgan said Ofcom had “emphatically endorsed my right to not believe what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were saying”.

Morgan’s “apparent disregard for the seriousness of anyone expressing suicidal thoughts” was a source of worry for Ofcom.

“We would have been seriously concerned if it hadn’t been for Morgan’s co-presenters’ extensive challenge” throughout the show, they added.

Concluded the regulator: “Nonetheless, we’ve reminded ITV to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future. ITV might consider the use of timely warnings or signposting of support services to ensure viewers are properly protected.”

“Make no mistake, this is a watershed moment in the battle for free speech. If Ofcom had found against me, that would have signaled the end of every U.K. TV journalist’s right to express any honestly held opinion on air lest it upset the likes of Meghan Markle,” Mr. Morgan wrote in an opinion piece for The Daily Mail newspaper in reaction to Ofcom’s ruling.

ITV said: “We welcome the Ofcom ruling that Good Morning Britain did not breach the broadcast standards relating to harm and offense. The ruling sets out clearly that it was the balance and context the program makers provided which was key in mitigating against the potential for harm and offense, which could have been caused by Piers Morgan’s comments. It is because of the program’s editorial decisions and the opposing views which were forcefully expressed by other presenters and guests, that the program did not breach Ofcom’s rules.”

Harry and Meghan blamed the British press for pushing them out of the country with its constant attacks on the duchess, but the Society of Editors, a powerful news industry organization, disputed that racism had a role in the couple’s coverage.