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Piers Morgan’s former Good Morning Britain co-hosts Susanna Reid, Alex Beresford ‘missing’ from TV after Meghan Markle drama

The UK morning show made famous after Piers Morgan’s big exit is facing crisis as fans fret the remaining hosts are “missing” from the show.

Matt YoungMatt Young
@MattYoung
5 min read
March 13, 2021 - 10:14AM
Piers Morgan: huge cost to network as presenter quits

The UK morning television show made famous worldwide after Piers Morgan’s controversial exit is facing crisis as stars have reportedly disappeared from the show – with one posted revealing details of what happened in the hours after.

Morgan’s former Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid was said to be “missing” from television screens on Thursday just a day after addressing Piers Morgan’s shock exit to viewers.

After being left reportedly in tears over Morgan’s controversial departure and fronting the show the next day to address the drama and pay tribute to her former colleague, the 50-year-old was “nowhere to be seen”.

RELATED: Piers Morgan erupts outside London home after quitting

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Reid, who spent more than five years co-hosting the show with Morgan, was replaced by Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard.

British newspaper The Evening Standard reported Reid usually presents the program from Monday to Wednesday with Morgan, and with Shephard on Thursday, noting she was “absent” from screens.

Her apparent absence was ignored during the program, with presenter Charlotte Hawkins simply telling its 6am telling viewers: “We’re here all the way through until 9am this morning, with Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway joining us at 6.30am.”

Meanwhile, the show’s weatherman involved with the clash against Morgan, Alex Beresford, had viewers questioning whether he was “missing” from the show. He had not been seen or heard on the program since the argument where he accused Morgan of “trashing” Meghan.

Viewers took to Twitter to ask why he didn’t appear, with one writing:

“Where is Alex Beresford ? #GMB”

One more said: “@GMB if you don’t Bring Back Alex Beresford We’ll have a Riot #GMB”

ITV told The Sun that Beresford “wasn’t scheduled to work Wednesday or today”.

Hours after the speculation, Beresford posted his first statement, revealing both he and Morgan “both wanted to be on the show Tuesday morning”, the day after he stormed out.

“We both knew how strongly our opinions differed on the treatment of Harry and Meghan pre and post the interview that has split the world,” he said.

After attempting to “reach a place of understanding, it’s sad that we weren’t able to get there,” he said.

SUSANNA ‘IN TEARS’

Yesterday, an emotional Reid opened the first show since Morgan left and addressed the “opinionated and disruptive” Morgan and the controversy.

The Sun reports she was “left in tears" when she learned her co-host had quit.

“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 the things that viewers loved about the program,” she said yesterday,

“He is, without doubt, an outspoken, challenging, opinionated, disruptive broadcaster. He has many critics and he has many fans.

“You all know that I disagreed with him about Meghan’s interview, he himself clarified his comments about her mental health on the show yesterday.

“There are many voices on GMB and everyone has their say. But now Piers has decided to leave the program. Some of you may cheer and others will boo.

“It is certainly going to be very different. But shows go on, and so on we go.”

It comes as Morgan tweeted his support of the cast and crew claiming: “They don’t all agree with me, some don’t even like me, but we were a team”.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Meghan Markle had filed a complaint to the broadcaster’s CEO raising concerns over Morgan’s wording towards mental heath after she said she had suffered suicidal thoughts during her explosive interview.

ITV’s royal editor Chris Shipp confirmed the rumours last night, saying Meghan filed the complaint on Monday to chief executive Carolyn McCall.

“I’m told that the letter was written by the duchess for one reason only — to raise and share concern over the serious impact that Morgan’s comments could have on anyone struggling with their mental health or thinking about seeking help,” Harper Bazaar’s Omid Scobie continued.

Piers was “not going to back down” and Susanna was “seen in tears” after a series of meetings at ITV’s studios failed to reach an agreement.

Meghan Markle during her tell-all interview with Oprah.
Meghan Markle during her tell-all interview with Oprah.

The source added: “It’s been a difficult 24 hours for Susanna, too.

“She’s exceptionally close to Piers, but is now left holding the baby. She also doesn’t want to look like she condones his behaviour as she often disagrees with him, but respects his right to have an opinion.”

ANOTHER CO-HOST SPEAKS OUT

Meanwhile on the latest program, co-host Kate Garraway said the show was now “different”.

“That’s the thing about Piers, he is very passionate, he does fly kites and have debates but it always come from a place of authenticity, he always believes in what he says.

“And he’s left, he’s decided to quit and has he put it himself, ‘fallen on his sword of free speech’, but as you rightly say, I’ve known him a long time before this program, our friendship will go on, our personal friendship, and he’s been very supportive of me personally.

“It’s a different show but the show goes on.”

Piers Morgan walks off during live filming of Good Morning Britain.
Piers Morgan walks off during live filming of Good Morning Britain.

Despite the controversy Morgan said his exit from the program was “amicable” and that he and ITV “agreed to disagree”.

“I’m just going to take it easy and see how we go.”

Morgan said the comments as he lashed Meghan Markle outside his London home and offered no apology or regret over his resignation, laughing and defiant while labelling her “contemptible”.

The 55-year-old spoke to reporters yesterday after his exit from Good Morning Britain, saying he was willing to “fall on his sword” after “agreeing to disagree” with ITV over apologising for his on-air rant about Meghan.

Experts and commentators are divided on this issue, with some describing it a “melodrama” while others, like Sharon Osbourne, tweeting: “I am with you. I stand by you.”

PIERS DEFENDS HIMSELF

Questioned as he walked his young daughter, Elise, to school on the first day after his departure, he claimed people were trying to cancel him and boldly confirmed he would “re-emerge”.

“I believe in freedom of speech, I believe in the right to be allowed to have an opinion. If people want to believe Meghan Markle, that’s entirely their right.

“I don’t believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth and I think the damage she’s done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible.

“If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.”

Read related topics:Meghan Markle

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/piers-morgans-former-good-morning-britain-cohost-susanna-reid-missing-from-television-screens-after-drama/news-story/9e8a3e7d3770cd648e7311185e85d1e8