Dominic West called up Kate Garraway to apologise to her, following his comments about Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis on Good Morning Britain.
The British actor was a guest on Friday’s GMB, during which he said he “did slightly leap in the air with joy” after hearing that Trump had contracted Covid-19.
“[Trump] said ‘it is what it is’, and I think the phrase is ‘what goes around comes around’,” Dominic said at the time. “I just hope it doesn’t interfere with him being elected out of office, that’s all.”
His comments sparked a mixed reaction online, with some pointing out that he’d made the remarks to Kate, whose husband has been in hospital for the last six months due to complications from Covid-19.
During Monday’s show, Kate confirmed to presenters Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that she’d received a message from Dominic after his divisive interview.
“He’s been in touch directly with me,” Kate explained. “He’s been in touch to apologise personally to me. He wasn’t aware that Derek had had coronavirus, and was still sick, and he was worried that I’d been upset by it.”
She continued: “I wasn’t upset for those reasons, I was surprised – and I went on to say straight afterwards, ’I’m sure you’d join us in wishing him the very best personally, whatever your views of him are’.
“He’s not a Trump supporter, and I think it’s a symptom of Donald Trump’s behaviour throughout this pandemic, that he’s appeared to thumb his nose at it, and he was jumping for joy at the idea that he might now feel the effects of it… like a reality check. I don’t believe Dominic West would wish someone ill.”
After Dominic’s initial comments about Trump last week, Kate asked him: “I’m sure you wish him personally all the best, but subscribe that there’s an element of karma in this?”
“Well, there’s an element of schadenfreude, I suppose,” he responded. “I’m not a fan of his, as you can probably tell, and I just hope Biden stays healthy and gets the presidency as quickly as possible.
“I think Trump is a catastrophe for America and for the world.”
Dominic went on to say that he felt one positive that could come out of Trump contracting Covid-19 was that his supporters might “take [the pandemic[ more seriously, and realise the huge numbers of deaths in America are not an inevitability”.
GMB presenter Piers Morgan was absent from Friday’s show, but did voice his opinion about those celebrating Trump’s diagnosis on Twitter.
“Interesting to see those who’ve spent the last few years screaming that Trump’s an uncaring, heartless empathy-devoid b*stard now spewing their gleeful joy that he & his wife have a deadly virus,” Piers tweeted.
“They’re no better than the man they loathe.”
During Monday’s show Kate also shared her feelings on Trump’s actions since being diagnosed with Covid-19, after he was seen being driven past his supporters days after testing positive.
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday at 6am on ITV.