Ofcom have cleared Piers Morgan for saying on GMTV he doesn't believe a word MM says

Agree with JenniferEccles - but would add that we should be more concerned with those fundamental rights and freedoms than the personalities to whom we seem to devote far more energy than is deserved.

I for one haven't watched GMB since Piers left. I didn't agree with all his opinions and didn't like the way he interrupts or speaks over other people which I considered to be very rude. But having said that the program now is dull and boring without him and not worth the cost of electricity.

i was never a fan of pm or mm but they are both entitled to their opinion, gmb was never meant to be a news programme like sky or bbc. the only person i feel sorry for is prince harry. i did have a laugh when pm called mm the pinoocchio princess.

Hurrah, common sense prevailed.
Regardless of anyone's personal feelings about PM, had the ruling not been in his favour it would have have been detrimental to our freedom of speech.

Of on cleared GMB, not Piers Morgan, as his co presenters made comments to the contrary so the programme was cleared of bias. Love him or hate Piers Morgan is allowed to express his opinion and I reckon half the population would agree with his remark.

I don’t particularly like him but he is entitled to his opinion. It’s worrying that people are having to be so careful what they say nowadays

Some mornings I had to turn the volume down when PM started his rants, but now it seems boring at times and I've turned over. They have had so many different presenters in over the summer and none have come close to PM style of interviewing.
Also I would of preferred Christine Lampard staying on presenting, letting Lorraine remain on her holidays....

Piers Morgan us not everyone’s cup of tea and he is forthright to the point of being quite rude at times but I think if Ofcom had ruled differently there could have been a lot of implications for future freedom of speech and press. Loads of complaints about the remarks he made but even more viewers deserted GMTV since he left apparently. I don’t get to see it either way, too busy getting ready for work

I found PM interesting as he called out politicians who were not doing their job during the pandemic. It was an interesting show to watch.
I think he's a devout Royalist and detested Harry and Megan for criticising the RF.
He should be reinstated in GMB as other presenters are boring. ITV have also replaced other presenters which were really good like Eamon and Ruth. The mornings shows aren't great now so I rarely watch it.

JenniferEccles

I am delighted to hear this.

Ofcom’s statement said it’s code allows for individuals to express strongly held and robustly argued views.

It went on to say that restrictions of such views would be a chilling restriction on freedom of expression.
In other words Piers Morgan was perfectly entitled to state that he didn’t believe a word Meghan Markle said.

I know Piers Morgan is a bit of a divisive figure, but this ruling is not really about him but more about protecting freedom of speech.

A good decision in my opinion.

I believe that it also mentioned that other people involved in the particular broadcast were arguing against what he said so the whole thing was a balanced discussion.

I didn't see it so can't comment. But odious as he can be, I don't believe he is any worse than MM

I have thoroughly disliked PM after he went on Have I got News For You and became quite threatening to Ian Hislop when he didn't like some of the banter. It just showed what an unpleasant character he was and as he had just been sacked from his Editor's job for his part in Insider Dealing, it was something that showed that he was also dishonest. His sucking up to Trump just confirmed my suspicions of him.
I stopped watching GMTV when he became a presenter. I dislike the way he presents himself, he is just a bully as far as I am concerned. Personally I don't find that he is good at putting politicians on the spot. It is no good asking difficult questions if you are just going to keep talking over them as they start to reply. Asking the same question over and over again without drawing breath is never going to allow the listener to hear what the person has to say.
Was OFCOM right? I don't know but I suspect that if they were more critical of PM in their report, it wouldn't have been reported. I think more balanced reporting might have explained it better for those of us who are too busy to read their response in detail.

I did feel at the time of watching it that Alex was going at PM more than I expected.

He's probably just a straight talker.

He came back on set and explained why he walked out.
At the time PM said he had asked Alex Beresford- the weather guy - to come along as a mixed race person to bring more of a balance and to discuss his experiences of racism.

I did feel at the time of watching it that Alex was going at PM more than I expected. The walk out was a shock. I think he was going to lose it and he walked off.
PM was really angry at the Oprah interview as were many of us. The bits I saw were like a back stab to the RF and British public. For example the wedding we were happy about MM seemed to resent having to share it with us - after the event. She could have eloped a couple in their 30s could have done it there way but chose the big one.
PM came back on to finish the discussion. He was asked to leave by ITV because of it.

It was quite distressing/uncomfortable to watch because PM didn't seem to have control which isn't a great position to be in or entertainment. But I agreed with what he was saying.
He also had MM's dad on in an interview after and he came across fine and that was sad to watch too.
He said PH had never met him but talked to him like he was an idiot on the phone. Very sad to have a relationship like that in public.

Cannot stand PM but he had the courage and conviction to say what many people think but are to afraid to voice. I for one agree with his comments. H&M have had many of ‘their facts’ disproven. Free speech won out in the end thankfully.

Daisymae

It's an opinion and he's entitled to have it. I would think that it's a good decision, ITV have certainly missed him, or rather the ratings have dropped which may not be the same thing.

But he walked out, didn't he? That time the weather guy called him out on his obsession with M. Markle. I'm sure he wasn't fired.

Thanks Chestnut I will look that up tonight. There gun loving is insane.

Thanks Lillie. I think Kate has been very vocal in supporting PM. A lot of people count him as a friend.

He would be an interesting evening conversation because of the amount of people he has met. He spoke out challenging ministers over vivid but Dominic Cummings didn't allow anybody to be interviewed by him!

A long post in defence of PM I didn't expect to write that!
a good post though whatdayisit
yes i read he has been very supportive and generous to kate garroway

lucca why was my response about maybe furthering a career 'catty'
i am sure piers would see straight through me anyway but i would like to maybe be associated with him in some small way
i wasnt suggesting i would have a relationship with the man or use him

if you are reading megan into that then you are the one who is misguided here

PM is at least interesting. I'm not sure Harry is any more.

Whatdayisit You mention his calling out the American gun lobby. I have seen PM interview one of them, who said the more guns the better, and children should have guns to protect them in schools, all sorts of nonsense. And they really believe it. PM tore him to shreds, and it was such a cracking good interview I kept it.

There are two sides to PM - phone hacking editor, anti-woke likes to say a woman looks hot in the professional setting.
So many of his colleagues have spoken about how kind he is and how he will fight injustice and be on your side.
His wife is a very good writer and has a new book out!
I watch GMB from 6 till 7 and since PM left it has been an easier watch. The other presenters are getting more of a say.
On the day he walked off PM was angry that the weatherman was calling him out over his MM comments.
PM thought he was bigger than GMB and maybe he was if viewing figures have plummeted. I used to watch BBC Breakfast when it was Bill and Susannah but now I find it so snobbish and out of touch especially on a Saturday with Charlie and Naga.
I think PM had a right to say what he did. It was in reaction to the Oprah interview which had a splattering of untruths.
The worst being about the secret wedding which put the poor old Archbishop of Canterbury in a spot.
He has plenty of other work anyway like his life stories.
And he has spoken out against gun laws in the US making him unpopular there.
When he uses his voice for speaking out against injustice he can be quite decent but he isn't a saint.
I read Kate Garraway's book The Power of Hope and she couns him as a friend so colleagues and friends think he is loyal and are loyal to him. At the end of the day he is a journalist but he has been around for a long time and knows how people tick.
A long post in defence of PM I didn't expect to write that!

I too would plump for Piers. I feel Harry's conversation would lack any depth and would just be full of meaningless platitudes.

10 years ago, pre Meghan, I might however have enjoyed listening to Harry's stories about mischievous exploits with his friends! He seemed to be more fun and genuine in those days.

I'd much prefer a date with Piers. He'd drive me mad and I'd not agree with everything he said but Harry is so terribly dull. And his voice just doesn't do it for me either.

MerylStreep

^oh come on……A young man who I suspect was once both sexy and charming^ That’s as maybe but there’s not a lot going on between the ears.

Granted. I was just trying to hint that maybe she met Harry and fancied him and then fell in love but I realise the general opinion is that she must have just been social climbing. …

It’s like people who say “I speak as I find” What they mean is they are bloody rude !

Alegrias1

I don't get this thing about liking people because they are a "straight talker". Does that mean that they just say anything they like, no matter how hurtful, puerile, untrue, slanderous...but at least they are a straight talker? Isn't that how we'd describe a 3 year old?

I mean, Trump is a straight talker and he's an idiot.

Fascinating isn’t it

Yet when posters here “say it like it is” they are told by those who appreciate straight talking by PM, that the poster is rude and should be kind.

Dichotomy at its best