Piers Morgan Cleared By Ofcom Following 4,000 Complaints Over 'Combative' Interviews

Piers Morgan has been cleared by Ofcom and will not be investigated by the media regulator after it received 4,000 complaints about his 'combative' interviews.

More than 3,200 of the complaints referred to two interviews on Good Morning Britain with Care Minister Helen Whately, while 600 referred to an interview with Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

In the host's first interview with Whately on 15 April, he pressed her on death toll figures, though she protested he was 'shouting at me and not giving me a chance to answer your questions'.

In the next interview, Piers argued that she still didn't know the figures, with Whately again contesting that 'the problem is you keep on interrupting'.

Today (27 April) Ofcom ruled in Piers' favour, stating that the 55-year-old is 'well known for his combative interviewing style' and 'viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians and hold them to account'.

A statement from the watchdog continued: "His guests were given adequate opportunity to put their points across and counter the presenter's criticisms.

"In Ofcom's view, in line with freedom of expression, it is clearly in the public interest that broadcasters are able to hold those making political decisions to account, particularly during a major national crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic."

Piers celebrated the news on Twitter, thanking those who had supported him.

The presenter had previously appealed to followers who support his interviewing style to get in touch with Ofcom.

He tweeted last week: "Apparently nearly 2,000 people have now complained to @Ofcom about me grilling Care Minister Helen Whateley [sic] too 'unfairly' when she couldn't answer even basic questions.

"If you think I should continue grilling ministers in the way I've been doing, please tell @OFCOM. Thanks."

The former News of the World editor said in one of his interviews with Whately that he found it 'incredibly insulting that the Care Minister has no idea how many people are dying in our care homes' and today he reiterated this point, tweeting: "The Govt's continued failure to have any idea how many elderly people have died with coronavirus in care homes is an absolute disgrace."

Topics: UK News, TV and Film, Good Morning Britain, Piers Morgan

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey