Piers Morgan has accused former colleague Alex Beresford of “whacking” him to boost his own career following their row over Meghan Markle’s controversial Oprah Winfrey interview.
Writing in a column for the Mail on Sunday, the former Good Morning Britain co-host claimed weatherman Beresford’s “censorious lecture” on racism led him to sensationally storm offset live on air on March 9 before quitting later that day.
The pair got into a heated debate on racial prejudice while discussing the Duchess of Sussex’s bombshell interview with chat show icon Oprah.
During the two-hour TV special, the former actress, 39, accused an unnamed member of the Royal Family of being “concerned” about how dark – then unborn – son Archie’s skin would be.
(Image: ITV)
Piers shocked viewers when he walked out of the studio after Beresford, who is of mixed race heritage, claimed on air that Morgan only targeted Markle because she had “ghosted” him after the two became friends four years ago.
Morgan, 55, shrugged off the accusation, writing: “I genuinely couldn’t care less about that, but it was informative as to her character, especially when I saw her do the same thing to many other people, including her own father – I felt the steam rising inside me.
“I don’t mind outside guests trying to make a name for themselves by whacking me like this, but I wasn’t going to sit there and take it from one of my own team, especially someone who I’ve gone out of my way to help whenever he’s asked me for advice about his career.
(Image: itv)
“Realising I might say something I’d regret, I decided to leave the studio to cool down.”
During their live row, Alex said: “This is pathetic. Absolutely diabolical behaviour.
“I’m sorry but Piers spouts off on a regular basis and we all have to sit here and listen. From 6.30 to 7am yesterday, it was incredibly hard to watch.
“He has the ability to come in here and talk from a position that he doesn’t fully understand…”
Morgan added that he was persuaded to return to the set by “horrified” co-host Susanna Reid before rejoining the debate with Beresford.
Piers also revealed that he was further angered by Beresford saying “I don’t feel you’re a racist,” which Morgan claimed was like saying “I don’t think you beat your wife.”
in typical bullish fashion, Piers wrote: “But he insisted that even if Meghan’s claim about Archie being barred from Princehood because of his skin colour is untrue, it’s still her ‘lived experience’ so should be respected.
“But that’s ridiculous; you can’t have a ‘lived experience’ of racism when the fact you’re basing it on is false.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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“Or rather, you can, but it’s not a real one and nobody should be compelled to believe it.”
Morgan, who co-hosted GMB for six years, also said Beresford was the only co-star not to have contacted him since he quit the breakfast show.
ITV announced the decision after Ofcom said it was investigating his comments, which attracted 41,000 complaints.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
