British media watchdog Ofcom concludes after an investigation that Piers Morgan has not broken any rules with his comments about Meghan Markle. There will therefore be no sanctions for the presenter or ITV, the channel on which he made the statements.
Morgan said after watching Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey that he didn’t believe a word she said. The wife of the British Prince Harry said in the interview that she had had suicidal thoughts. After the broadcast of Good Morning Britain , in which Morgan made his statements, Ofcom received a record 58,000 complaints, including one from Markle himself.
Although ITV and Morgan decided not to continue together, Ofcom believes Morgan’s statements do not violate media laws. “Morgan’s statements were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers and we have noticed the outspoken public response to them, but we also respect freedom of expression,” the statement read.
“Within our rules, broadcasters can choose to make controversial opinions part of the public debate, and the strong rebuttal Morgan received from other parties in the discussion provided context for the viewer.” However, Ofcom has urged ITV to be more careful with issues such as mental health and suicide.
Morgan is celebrating the decision on Twitter. “This is a clear victory for free speech and a defeat for Princess Pinocchio,” he wrote on the social medium. He also wonders aloud if this means getting his job as a Good Morning Britain presenter back.