Meghan and Harry interview fallout: Piers Morgan quits ITV Good Morning Britain show

Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan storms off set after his colleague hits him with some hard truths. Screenshot / ITV

High-profile broadcaster Piers Morgan has quit his UK breakfast TV show as the fallout continues over the Harry and Meghan interview.

In a statement this morning (NZT), ITV said that following discussions, Morgan had decided now was the time to leave Good Morning Britain. "ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add."

Morgan stormed off the set of the show yesterday ahead of his interview with Thomas Markle, after a presenter condemned his treatment of Harry and Meghan.

BREAKING: Piers Morgan to leave Good Morning Britain ITV has announced ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BHc1SbKP37

— David Farrell (@DavidJ_Farrell) March 9, 2021

The tension in the studio was palpable between Morgan – a frequent critic of Meghan in particular – and co-presenter Alex Beresford.

"I watched the programme yesterday and yes they had some great press around the wedding, but what press is going to trash someone's special day?" Beresford said.

"There was bad press around the engagement, before the engagement and everything that has followed since has been incredibly damaging – quite clearly, to Meghan's mental health and also to Harry – and I hear Piers say that William has gone through the same thing, but do you know what, siblings experience tragedy in their life and one will be absolutely fine and brush it off and the other will not be able to deal with it so strongly.

Piers Morgan just walked off the Good Morning Britain set (!!!) after co-presenter Alex Beresford defended Harry and Meghan and condemned Piers' treatment of them in yesterday's programming pic.twitter.com/mH75J8ND4O

— Chris Rickett (@chrisrickett) March 9, 2021

"And that's clearly what's happened to Harry in this situation. He walked behind his mother's coffin at a tender, tender age in front of the globe. That is going to shape a young boy for the rest of his life. So I think that we all need to take a step back."

Meghan and Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey screened first in the US yesterday. Photo / Harpo Productions

Speaking directly to Morgan, Beresford said he "understands" that Morgan doesn't like Meghan, telling him "you've made it so clear a number of times on this programme, a number of times".

"And I understand that you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one and she cut you off. She's entitled to cut you off if she wants to.

"Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don't think she has, yet you continue to trash her."

Morgan got up and left his chair, saying he was "done with this" before storming out of the studio.