Piers Morgan is taking a victory lap, and declaring vindication against "the woke brigade," after a British regulator cleared him over his controversial comments about Meghan Markle.
The British media regulator Ofcom announced Wednesday that it had concluded an investigation into comments Morgan made on Good Morning Britain and found that he was not in breach of broadcasting rules, The Washington Post reports.
"Mr. Morgan's comments were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers, and we recognize the strong public reaction to them," Ofcom said. "But we also took full account of freedom of expression."
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In the aftermath of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year, Morgan repeatedly said he did not believe her claims. He faced major backlash, particularly over the suggestion he didn't believe her remarks about experiencing suicidal thoughts after joining the royal family, and Ofcom received tens of thousands of complaints. In fact, the duchess herself reportedly complained to ITV, and Morgan ultimately left Good Morning Britain; he says he was told he had to either apologize or exit the show, and he chose the latter.
Morgan's comments prompted sharp disagreement on the air, and at one point, he stormed off the set when a co-host called him out. Ofcom said Wednesday that "under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, and the strong challenge to Mr. Morgan from other contributors provided important context for viewers."
Morgan celebrated the decision as a "vindication" in a column for the Daily Mail, also declaring it a "watershed moment in the battle for free speech" while criticizing what he described as a "woke-ravaged era" and "this insidious 'cancel culture.'" He also suggested he hoped to now return to Good Morning Britain, tweeting, "Do I get my job back?"
