BEN Shephard assured viewers that Good Morning Britain takes mental health “very seriously” after Piers Morgan said he “didn’t believe” Meghan Markle was suicidal.
Piers dramatically quit after senior execs wanted him to say sorry on air following his row with the show’s weatherman Alex Beresford over the ex-Suits actress.
Follow our Piers Morgan live blog for the latest on his GMB exit…
Following Kate Garraway’s sweet tribute to the “passionate” presenter, Ben moved into a discussion about those suffering from PTSD on the frontline.
Ben said: “It is crucial we all appreciate and understand, particularly during a pandemic and what we’ve seen our nurses and doctors going through, the concern about the mental health impact of that and what that’s going to do.
“Dr Hilary Jones is with us and I’m sure, Hilary, you’ve got anecdotal evidence of people on the frontline experiencing PTSD and talking about how difficult it has been to cope.
“The debate about mental health and concern is something we take very seriously and is hugely important to all of us.”
Dr Hilary added: “Yes and talking of Piers, he did a great deal to look after the mental health of NHS staff.
“He championed the fact they were under the cosh and that they were working very hard.
“He offered to pay their ludicrous parking fines at hospitals, and actually did that.
“He had a very generous heart.”
Kate laughed as she stepped in to reassure viewers: “He still does, Hilary.
“He’s only not in the studio, he’s still around…”
Dr Hilary added: “I had my spats with Piers, but he held politicians to account.
It comes as:
- Piers Morgan said he STILL doesn’t believe Meghan Markle after quitting GMB
- Meghan Markle may have complained about Piers to ITV, it was reported
- Piers Morgan quit GMB after refusing to apologise on air
- Ranvir Singh made an awkward blunder on TV telling fans ‘Piers will be here later’
- Susanna Reid paid emotional tribute to ‘outspoken & disruptive’ Piers
- What happened between Piers Morgan and Alex Beresford?
- Susanna is missing from GMB today and replaced by Kate Garraway
“He asked the secondary questions. He didn’t just let it go when they fobbed him off. probed, pushed and well researched. He did champion the little people who didn’t have a voice. We shouldn’t forget that.
“We all know him personally off-screen. He is generous to a fault, and very loyal.
“Of course he had his strong opinions and that is polarising, whether it’s complaining or praising he was always going to get critics.
“But people often shout louder when they’re criticising than when they’re backing someone.”
Piers stormed off set during the huge row on Tuesday morning after Alex criticised him for his reaction to Meghan’s claims she contemplated suicide and was racially abused by the Royal Family.
But Piers said he was not willing to apologise, and walked – bringing an immediate end to his six-year stint on the morning show.
Speaking outside his home yesterday, the 55-year-old said he was willing to “fall on his sword” after “agreeing to disagree” with ITV over apologising for the rant.
Standing with with his daughter Elise, he added: “I believe in freedom of speech, I believe in the right to be allowed to have an opinion. If people want to believe Meghan Markle, that’s entirely their right.
“I don’t believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth and I think the damage she’s done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible.
“If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.”
