Piers Morgan: Host praises 'free speech' after Ofcom ruling
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Ofcom has now ruled former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan was well within his right to question the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle’s experiences of racism within the Royal Family. GB News host and comedian Mark Dolan has celebrated their statement as a victory for free speech, despite the regulator warning the broadcaster’s comments still had the ability to cause ‘offence and harm’.
GB News host Mark Dolan has proclaimed Ofcom’s statement on Piers Morgan’s skepticism towards Meghan Markle’s claims against the Royal Family a huge victory for British broadcasting.
The former Good Morning Britain presenter stormed off set when his views were challenged by co-host Alex Beresford.
Following the Sussexes’ landmark interview with Oprah Winfrey, Morgan claimed he ‘did not believe a word she said’.
The UK’s communications regulator Ofcom has now said stifling his opinion would be a ‘chilling restriction’ on free speech, though also noted his ‘apparent disregard’ for the subject of suicide.
In his regular segment ‘Mark’s Monologue’, GBN host Mark Dolan claimed their verdict as a victory, both for Morgan and the current state of journalism in the UK.
“Today is a major setback for the woke mafia,” he said.
“The swivel-eyed, keyboard-thumping cranks, who want to shut down debate and shrink the national conversation to their ever-changing, ever more narrow ideological narrative.
“With this positive decision, freedom has been restored, and cancel culture is well on its way to being cancelled.”
He also took the verdict as a strong sign for the future of GB News, which he maintained will continue to speak truth to power for ‘years to come’.
With Ofcom’s ruling, ITV has now been cleared of a record 58,000 complaints made against Piers Morgan following his divisive comments about Harry and Meghan.
This includes complaints filed by the duchess herself against both the regulator and ITV.
During the interview, Meghan Markle recalled her mental health reaching a stage where ‘didn’t want to be alive any more’.
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She also claimed an unnamed member of the Royal Family had questioned ‘how dark’ the skin colour of their then unborn baby Archie would be.
However, Piers Morgan rejected her comments on GMB the following morning.
His views were then challenged by co-hosts Susanna Reid and Alex Beresford, which Ofcom marked as ‘open and frank discussion of race and racism’ allowed within the broadcasting code.
Dolan also admitted his own frequent run-ins and disagreements with the controversial broadcaster.
Morgan criticised the comedian and writer for potentially ‘costing lives’ when he cut up a face mask during a talkRADIO broadcast in September 2020.
He dubbed the PPE ‘wretched, godawful, damned, blinking, uncomfortable, scientifically empty, and useless’, but later clarified he still followed government guidelines on mask-wearing during the pandemic.
Ofcom’s full statement reads: “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.
“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.”
Tonight with Mark Dolan airs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 9pm on GB News.
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