‘I’m strong, but I am not made of steel’: GMB’s Alex Beresford reveals he has QUIT social media amid ‘relentless racist abuse’ after defending Meghan Markle in on-air spat with Piers Morgan
Alex Beresford has revealed he’s quit social media amid ‘relentless racist abuse’ resulting from his on-air spat with former Good Morning Britain co-star Piers Morgan.
Morgan, 55, famously left ITV’s GMB after saying he ‘didn’t believe a word’ of Meghan Markle’s account of experiencing racism and other charges against her husband Prince Harry’s Royal Family during her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
And after Morgan’s last day on the show saw him storm off the set following a dramatic conformation with Beresford, 40, the weatherman has revealed that the racism he’s endured online since defending Meghan has forced him to step away.
Abuse: Alex Beresford has revealed he’s quit social media amid ‘relentless racist abuse’ resulting from his on-air spat with former Good Morning Britain co-star Piers Morgan
Writing for The Telegraph, he said: ‘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,’ he continued, adding that the messages he’s received are ‘very much the lived experience of racism in Britain’.
He added: ‘The harsh reality, though, is that social media is just a reflection of a bigger problem in society. These people are your co-workers, they are even a parent at the school gate.’
Last month, Piers announced he had quit GMB after Alex challenged his comments about the Duchess of Sussex, 37, and her interview with Oprah, 67.
Clash: Beresford, 40, famously clashed on-air with Piers Morgan, 55, as he defended Meghan Markle following her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey
The outspoken GMB host left the daytime series after he insisted he ‘didn’t believe a word’ of Meghan’s account of suffering suicidal thoughts and experiencing racism at the hands of the royal family.
Piers then walked off set after a fierce debate with Alex, in which the weather presenter accused Piers of unfairly ‘trashing’ Meghan, and branded him ‘diabolical’.
When Piers walked off screen, Alex continued: ‘I’m sorry but Piers just spouts off on a regular basis and we have to sit there and listen.’
Piers, who refused to apologise, later announced his resignation and tweeted his thanks to the GMB team, praising them for their ‘hard work and dedication’ that led to them beating their main breakfast TV rival.
Bombshell: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spoke with Oprah Winfrey last month, making shocking claims about racism and the Royal Family
And the presenter shared his own reflections on the events of that fateful week in a piece for the Mail On Sunday last weekend.
Piers called Alex ‘GMB’s occasional stand-in weatherman’ and ‘uptight’ in the telling account, adding that the presenter hasn’t messaged him since his exit unlike others on the show.
Reflecting on their now infamous encounter on GMB, which ended in Piers leaving the studio, Piers said he wasn’t going to sit there and be ‘whacked’ by one of his own team.
He wrote: ‘I don’t mind outside guests trying to make a name for themselves by whacking me like this, but I wasn’t going to sit there and take it from one of my own team, especially someone who I’ve gone out of my way to help whenever he’s asked me for advice about his career.
Intense: Alex called Piers’ decision to leave the studio following their encounter ‘pathetic’ and ‘absolutely diabolical behaviour’
‘Realising I might say something I’d regret, I decided to leave the studio to cool down.
‘As I walked off, Alex doubled down: “This is pathetic. Absolutely diabolical behaviour. I’m sorry but Piers spouts off on a regular basis and we all have to sit here and listen. From 6.30 to 7am yesterday, it was incredibly hard to watch.
“He has the ability to come in here and talk from a position that he doesn’t fully understand…”‘
Piers continued: ‘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.’
His side: Reflecting on storming out of the studio in his own account for the Mail On Sunday, Piers said he wasn’t going to sit there and be ‘whacked’ by one of his own team
Since Piers’ exit from the show he has received messages from several stars, naming Jeremy Clarkson and Bear Grylls, who have said he had a ‘right’ to say his mind.
Sharon Osbourne also voiced her support for Piers during an appearance on The Talk, though she has since parted ways with the CBS show.
It was recently claimed that Alex hopes to make it big in America after winning new fans including Oprah Winfrey after his row with Piers.
A source told The Sun that he has already been offered several big-money jobs from US TV companies, in addition to possible radio work and a book deal.
According to the insider, Alex also told his agent Jonathan Shalit that he wants to ‘crack’ America as he doesn’t want to be resigned to the position of a weatherman or breakfast TV presenter for the rest of his life.
Friends: Sharon Osbourne also voiced her support for Piers during an appearance on The Talk, though she has since parted ways with the CBS show
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