Petitions to reinstate Piers Morgan to Good Morning Britain have now racked up a huge 360,000 signatures.
The ITV breakfast show has seen ratings take a major hit since controversial Piers suddenly took his leave.
Five petitions have been set up to get him to return to hosting duties, the most popular of which boasts more than 155,000 names.
“Keep Piers Morgan on GMB for this common sense approach to life”, as the creator named it, is on track to reach its goal of 200,000.
Despite the high hopes of fans, however, Piers has ruled out a return, despite the “pleasant surprise” of huge fan support.
(Image: ITV)
Piers’ sudden exit from GMB came two weeks ago after his remarks about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sparked a furious backlash.
During the show on 9 March he had cast doubt on the veracity of a number of claims made by the pair during their interview with Oprah Winfrey, including Meghan’s that she had suffered from suicidal thoughts.
His divisive coverage sparked a fiery clash with colleague Alex Beresford, and saw Piers storm off the set in a huff.
It’s since become the most complained about TV show ever, according to broadcast watchdog Ofcom, with the total number soaring over 57,000.
(Image: Change.org)
That evening, ITV confirmed that Piers would no longer be presenting GMB, effective immediately.
The following morning Piers told reporters that conversations with ITV had been “amicable”, adding: “I’m just going to take it easy and see how we go.
“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.
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“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.
“I think it’s fair to say, although the woke crowd will think that they’ve cancelled me, I think they will be rather disappointed when I re-emerge.
(Image: GC Images)
“I would call it a temporary hibernation.”
Rumours of a bidding war in the media for firebrand Piers have been circulating.
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Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/piers-morgan-petitions-reach-360000-23769204