Good Morning Britain presenter Alex Beresford has revealed he has been subjected to “relentless” racist abuse on social media since his on-air confrontation with Piers Morgan last month.
During a live broadcast on 9 March, Alex called out Piers over comments he’d made about Meghan Markle in the previous day’s show.
He said at the time: “I understand that you don’t like Meghan Markle. You’ve made it so clear, a number of times on this programme. A number of times.
“And I understand that you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off, she’s entitled to cut you off, if she wants to. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has. But yet you continue to trash her.”
At that point, Piers stormed off the GMB set, with it later announced he would be leaving the show, shortly after Ofcom confirmed an investigation into his remarks about the Duchess of Sussex after a record number of complaints.
Writing in the Telegraph, Alex said he has been subjected to racist abuse since the incident, which he said has “forced [him] to step away” from social media.
Alex said: “Since [the confrontation] I have been subjected to relentless racism myself on social media.
“I haven’t announced it (like the former Arsenal player Thierry Henry did this week when he publicly quit social media, in response to anonymous racist bullying) but I have been forced to step away from Twitter and Facebook myself, because it was getting too much. I am a strong person, but I am not made of steel.”
Later in the piece, he wrote: “When I was a child the thought of a mixed race princess in the British Royal Family was as far-fetched as that of a Black president of the United States.
“Both Meghan Markle and Barack Obama will go down in history for breaking barriers in elite institutions, but you only need to visit the comments section beneath online articles on either of them to see we’ve not necessarily progressed as far as you’d hope.
“Last month’s Harry and Meghan interview resonated with me on so many levels, from a similar experience around the concern of a baby’s shade of colour to the devastation of laying to rest someone very close to my heart just three months ago, who had those same suicidal thoughts. Whilst appearing to be a Royal problem, it felt so personal to me.”
Over the weekend, Piers expressed regret over the way he behaved on air during what would turn out to be his last day at GMB.
He claimed: “Realising I might say something I’d regret, I decided to leave the studio to cool down.
“I didn’t hear any more of his diatribe, as I was out the door and heading for my dressing room.
“I knew it wasn’t a good look, the great snowflake-basher running away from confrontation. And on reflection, I shouldn’t have done it.
“But in the heat of the moment, in my rather strained state of mind, this seemed the less worse option.”
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.