Good Morning Britain’s co-lead anchor Piers Morgan has been at the centre of the headlines this week, following his explosive comments about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Oprah interview.
Piers and weatherman Alex Beresford went head-to-head in a heated debate surrounding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey on Tuesday, which saw the host storm off set live on air.
TV watchdog Ofcom announced there had been 41,000 complaints about Piers’ remarks about Meghan on Monday’s GMB, which saw him say he didn’t believe her bombshell claims.
ITV reportedly asked Piers to apologise for his remarks but the former Mirror editor refused and subsequently quit the show.
Piers’ hasty decision to walk away left co-star Susanna Reid very much in the lurch as she took to the helm on Wednesday explaining that the ITV programme would be “very different” without her longstanding co-host.
Addressing viewers directly on Wednesday, she spoke out about Piers’ departure and fans believed she was close to tears as she chatted about their working relationship and friendship.
Body language expert says Susanna Reid has a “good poker face” in the wake of Piers Morgan’s exit (Image: ITV)
She said: “A number of people, of course, will know the news and many of you will not and will be surprised that Piers Morgan is not here this morning.
“Now Piers and I have disagreed on many things and that dynamic was one of the many things that viewers loved about the programme.”
With Susanna very much at the hosting helm and Piers very much out of the picture, author Judi James has expertly assessed the TV presenter’s body language.
Viewers were convinced that Susanna was close to tears as she delivered the news on todays show (Image: ITV)
Judi revealed to the Daily Star: “Fronting up to the cameras in the wake of the Piers Morgan walk-out, Susanna looks like a woman keen to re-gain control and establish a professional front as well as desperate to get on with the show.”
“Susanna does a good poker face to camera and we saw her using it to good professional effect as the dramas rumbled around her the day before,” Judi added.
Analysing her stance as she spoke about her partner’s swift exit, Judi went on: “Her intro talk about Piers today is delivered eyes to camera in the assertive and scripted-sounding style of a political broadcast and despite the slightly faltering opening her gaze is firm and her delivery reasonably free of emotion.
Judi explained Susanna wanted to “regain control” and get on with the show (Image: ITV)
“A raise of the chin when she speaks about Piers as ‘my presenting partner’ could subtly could suggest loyalty and some defiance.”
Judi adds: “When Susanna is listening rather than talking though there are some telling gestures of a desire to self-comfort.
“Her left thumb rubs the handle of her mug to hint at inner tensions or anxieties and the way she sucks her lips in or performs a small tongue-poke hint at regret or dislike.
“There is a hand-to-face auto-contact gesture as she dips her head and eyes and scratches her face, but then again we can see strong messages of a desire to reclaim or even expand her territory and her authority and just get on with the show.
“She picks her phone up to place it firmly to her right on the desk to begin to define her boundaries and she then shuffles and moves papers in a very emphatic gesture to suggest a desire to re-boot her professional smile and move forward and onward.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
