Piers Morgan asked if he can get his “job back” after being cleared in an investigation over comments about Meghan Markle that ended his run on “Good Morning Britain.”
“I’m delighted OFCOM [Office Of Communications] has endorsed my right to disbelieve the Duke & Duchess of Sussex’s incendiary claims to Oprah Winfrey, many of which have proven to be untrue,” Morgan tweeted Wednesday to his millions of followers.
“This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios,” he added. “Do I get my job back?” (RELATED: Megyn Kelly: Meghan Markle ‘Covered Herself In Blood Diamonds’ While Claiming To Not Be Into The ‘Grandeur’ Of Being A Royal)
I’m delighted OFCOM has endorsed my right to disbelieve the Duke & Duchess of Sussex’s incendiary claims to Oprah Winfrey, many of which have proven to be untrue. This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios.
Do I get my job back? pic.twitter.com/czhzeejYpa— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 1, 2021
The former morning host on ITV also tweeted in his a second post that OFCOM found the network had not violated a breach of its “harm or offence” rules after receiving “more than 50,000 complaints” about the show that focused on comments made by the duke and duchess in the tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey that dealt with suicide and racism, NBC News noted. (RELATED: Meghan Markle Accuses Royals Of Racism, Says She Considered Killing Herself)
“BREAKING: @Ofcom rejects all complaints against me over Meghan Markle furore that led to my exit from @GMB,” the broadcaster tweeted. “Verdict says I was entitled to disbelieve her & Prince Harry & to restrict my right to do so would be a ‘chilling restriction on freedom of expression.'”
BREAKING: @Ofcom rejects all complaints against me over Meghan Markle furore that led to my exit from @GMB. Verdict says I was entitled to disbelieve her & Prince Harry & to restrict my right to do so would be a ‘chilling restriction on freedom of expression.’ 👇 pic.twitter.com/m040VOTbKi
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 1, 2021
Reports previously surfaced Morgan had decided it was a good time to “leave” the company, ITV, and his position at “Good Morning Britain” following his comments about Markle.
Critics called for ITV to fire Piers for discrediting the duchess’ accusations of racism and her suicidal thoughts, Forbes reported.
The investigation said it looked into the complaints in which the majority “said that comments about mental health and suicide made by one of the lead presenters, Piers Morgan, were both harmful to the audience and highly offensive and that discussions on issues relating to race and racism in the Programme were highly offensive to some viewers.”
Morgan’s post included a screenshot of the conclusion in the report from OFCOM.
“The Interview between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey contained serious allegations and it was legitimate for this Programme to discuss and scrutinise those claims including their veracity,” the report read. “Ofcom is clear that, consistent with freedom of expression, Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account.”
“The Code allows for individuals to express strongly held and robustly argued views, including those that are potentially harmful or highly offensive, and for broadcasters to include these in their programming,” it added. “The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of the broadcaster and the audience.”
“However, in instances where such viewpoints carry a potential for harm or offence, it is the responsibility of the Licensee to ensure that adequate protection from harm and sufficient context is provided,” the report continued. “The choice of measures used to provide such protection to viewers is an editorial matter for the broadcaster.”
The investigation also concluded that, “Had it not been for the extensive challenge offered throughout the Programme by Ms [Susannah] Reid and Mr [Chris] Ship” it would have been “seriously concerned.”
However, because Morgan’s comments were challenged by others “other presenters and contributors” in the show OFCOM considered that, overall, and found that “adequate protection for viewers was provided and the potentially harmful and highly offensive material was sufficiently contextualised.”