“After discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan decided that now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain,” said ITV in a brief statement. “ITV accepted this decision and has nothing more to add.”
Morgan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier in the day, Morgan left the set of “Good Morning Britain” after being speared by a co-host for his criticisms of Harry and Meghan.
After Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Harry and Meghan – in which Meghan revealed that she had already had suicidal thoughts and said that a member of the royal family had raised concerns about her son’s skin tone – Morgan made a series of comments satirizing the couple .
He said on Twitter on Monday that it was “just another reminder that anyone who criticizes Meghan Markle is considered a racist aggressor”.
He also questioned on Monday’s show whether she was being sincere about having suicidal thoughts, comments he has since tried to avoid.
UK media regulator Ofcom said it had received more than 41,000 complaints about the program as of Tuesday afternoon. “We launched an investigation into Monday’s episode of Good Morning Britain under our rules of harm and wrongdoing,” the newspaper said in a statement on Twitter.
On Tuesday, Morgan faced criticism from his own colleague.
“I understand you [Morgan] I don’t like Meghan Markle, you made that very clear on this show several times, “said” Good Morning Britain “co-host Alex Beresford.” And I understand that you have a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or you had one and she cut you off, “he added.
At that point, Morgan stood up and, as he walked off the set, said, “Okay, I’m done with this, sorry, no, sorry … see you later, sorry, I can’t do that.”
– CNN’s Hanna Ziady and Stephanie Halasz contributed reporting.