Susanna Reid said Good Morning Britain will be “very different” but “shows go on” as she addressed the abrupt departure of her co-host Piers Morgan.
Morgan left following a backlash against his incendiary comments about the Duchess of Sussex and her headline-making interview with Oprah Winfrey.
ITV announced the presenter and journalist was leaving the news programme on Tuesday with a brief statement.
Morgan had earlier stormed off the set of the show following a heated discussion with his colleague, Alex Beresford, about Meghan.
'Shows go on and so on we go.'
'He has been a voice for many of you and a voice that many of you have railed against.'@susannareid100 speaks about Piers' resignation from GMB. pic.twitter.com/sVTcKMwx8NAdvertisement— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 10, 2021
Reid, opening Wednesday’s programme, addressed her former co-star’s leaving and nodded to his often divisive presence.
She said: “A number of people will know the news and many of you will not and will be surprised that Piers Morgan is not here this morning.
“Now, Piers and I have disagreed on many things and that dynamic was one of the things viewers loved about the programme.
“He is without doubt an outspoken, challenging, opinionated, disruptive broadcaster.
“He has many critics and he has many fans. You will know that I disagreed with him about Meghan’s interview. He himself clarified his comments about her mental health on the show yesterday.”
Reid said there are “many voices” on Good Morning Britain and “everyone has their say”.
On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I’ve had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don’t. If you did, OK. Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on. Thanks for all the love, and hate. I’m off to spend more time with my opinions. pic.twitter.com/bv6zpz4Roe
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 10, 2021
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She added: “But now Piers has decided to leave the programme. Some of you may cheer and others may boo.
“He has been my presenting partner, Monday to Wednesday, for more than five years and during Brexit and the pandemic and other issues, he has been a voice for many of you and a voice that many of you have railed against.
“It is certainly going to be very different but shows go on and so on we go.”
Ranvir Singh, Reid’s co-presenter for the morning, replied: “Well said.”
She described Morgan as a “big character” and said “many viewers will be absolutely gutted”.
Singh called Morgan “Marmite” and acknowledged his role in Good Morning Britain’s success.
Following Tuesday’s announcement he was out, Morgan signalled he had no regrets and tweeted: “Thinking of my late, great manager John Ferriter tonight.
“He’d have told me to do exactly the same thing.”
He added the hashtag #TrustYourGut.
