Piers Morgan’s Meghan Markle rant and Alex Beresford row receives most Ofcom complaints EVER with 57,121 objections

PIERS Morgan's Meghan Markle rant has now received the most Ofcom complaints ever.

Piers' rant about the Duchess of Sussex and his ensuing row with GMB weatherman Alex Beresford saw Ofcom receive 57,121 complaints in total.

🔵 Follow our Piers Morgan live blog for the latest on his GMB exit...

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Morgan, who had been on the ITV show since 2015, stormed off the set last week.

His rant on Monday, March 8 and row with Beresford on Tuesday, March 9, have now received 57,121 Ofcom complaints - the most ever.

ITV was also hit with 4,398 Ofcom complaints after airing Meghan and Prince Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Previously, the most complained about segment was the Celebrity Big Brother racism row involving Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty in 2007, which attracted 44,500.

Complaints regarding Morgan's rant are more than double those received in response to Diversity's Black Lives Matter performance on Britain's Got Talent in October last year.

The dance routine - which saw a police officer kneeling on Ashley Banjo - received 24,500 complaints, making it the most complained about show in 2020.

Morgan quit GMB rather than say sorry on air following complaints over his dismissal of the Duchess of Sussex's admissions during a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Meghan complained to ITV and Ofcom about Morgan's comments to raise concerns his words might affect those struggling with mental health.

Morgan told viewers he “didn’t believe a word” of Meghan and Prince Harry's interview, in which the duchess said she “didn’t want to be alive” after receiving heavy public scrutiny.

He said "Who did you go to? What did they say to you?

"I don't believe a word she says, Meghan Markle. I wouldn't believe a weather report if she read it.

"The fact she has expressed an onslaught against our Royal Family is contemptible."

Morgan later stormed off the GMB set during a heated argument with Beresford about the duchess.

It comes as:

• Meghan and Harry sparked Palace fury after details of private peace talks with Charles and William were leaked to a prime-time US TV show
• The Palace is "refusing to give a running commentary on private conversations" after the talks were leaked
• Morgan has claimed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are running a “deliberate and malicious campaign” to smear the Royal Family
• Prince Philip’s iron will was saluted yesterday as he returned home to the Queen following his longest hospital stay
• Good Morning Britain's Ranvir Singh has branded Meghan and Harry as "mean-spirited" for "leaking" private conversations with the Royal Family

ITV announced Morgan had left the show on the evening of March 9, shortly after Ofcom said it had launched an investigation under its harm and offence rules, after receiving more than 41,000 complaints in two days.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: "We have launched an investigation into Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain under our harm and offence rules."

Less than an hour later, ITV announced Piers Morgan wouldn't be returning to the show.

ITV said in a statement: "Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain.

"ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add."

Morgan was ordered to apologise after ITV bosses were contacted by the Duchess, but refused.

It's understood Meghan's complaint wasn't made over Piers' dismissal of racism allegations, or her claims that she wasn't supported by the Royal Family.

ITV's royal editor Chris Ship said: "The Duchess of Sussex formally filed a complaint to ITV. It’s thought to have been sent to the broadcaster’s CEO.

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Despite that, this morning, Piers doubled down on his decision to walk - tweeting: "Freedom of speech is a hill I'm happy to die on."

And chatting to press outside his home, he called the Duchess "contemptible", adding he and ITV will "agree to disagree".

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