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Piers Morgan’s GMB rants get a huge 1,645 Ofcom complaints in just five days after ‘bullying’ guests
PIERS Morgan's Good Morning Britain political grillings have sparked 1,645 complaints to Ofcom in just five days.
The no-nonsense host has been holding government ministers to account during the coronavirus crisis, but some viewers have accused him of "bullying".
Between April 22 and April 27 the broadcasting regulator continued to receive complaints about Piers's tough interviews with Helen Whately and Matt Hancock.
Yesterday Piers gloated gloated about his "combative presenting" being cleared by Ofcom on GMB, insisting: "We are all on the same side".
The 55-year-old had received almost 4,000 complaints in total for various interviews with government ministers about the coronavirus crisis on the breakfast show.
However, the TV watchdog defended Piers in a statement as they ruled "that broadcasters are able to hold those making political decisions to account".
Expressing his joy at the decision on the programme this morning, Piers bragged: "I'm glad that freedom of speech matters. Journalists doing their jobs matter. Holding them to account matters."
Detailing the explosive interviews with MPs, he continued: "We do our jobs, they do theirs - but we are all on the same side here, and you shouldn't equate challenging governments to wanting the government to fail.
"We are on the same side, against the same enemy - this is not an election, it is not a referendum, so you shouldn't criticise journalists for doing their job - it's what we are supposed to be doing."
Piers had echoed a similar point earlier in the show, telling co-host Susanna Reid that being cleared by Ofcom was "quite significant".
He continued: "Thousands of people have been complaining furiously about me to Ofcom, that I have been too mean to government ministers.
"Roughing them up too much about the pandemic and their catastrophic errors.
"I've had a few run-ins with Ofcom but I was rather pleased with this."
Piers once again enforced: "We are on the same side here, it is a very unusual war - our only role here is to hold the government to account."
The presenter received more than 2,000 complaints for a 15 April interview with MP and Health and Social Care Minister, Helen Whately.
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A second interview on 22 April has now received over 1200 complaints, with a further 600 made following an interview with Health Secretary, Matt Hancock.
Earlier this month ITV was warned over Piers' style of presenting after the early morning news programme narrowly avoided an Ofcom investigation.
Now, in a statement, Ofcom said: "Piers Morgan is well-known for his combative interviewing style and viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians and hold them to account. 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."
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