Controversial UK journalist Piers Morgan says he regrets storming off the set of Good Morning Britain (GMB) earlier this month after a spat with weather presenter Alex Beresford.
Writing for The Mail on Sunday, the Life Stories presenter – who has since stepped down from GMB – said that he left the studio to avoid saying something he'd "regret."
“I didn’t hear any more of his diatribe, as I was out the door and heading for my dressing room," he said.
Morgan said he 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."
The journalist added that his co-host Susanna Reid followed him to try and convince him to return to the studio and continue speaking with Beresford.
Morgan explained that after the incident “Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Director of Television, rang to say we were now ‘on the cliff edge’ and either I apologised, or I would have to leave GMB."
Later that day, it was announced that Morgan would be leaving GMB with immediate effect after he refused to apologise for his comments.
The broadcaster clarified that he hopes he can remain friends with his former co-host Reid.
“I suspect Susanna’s feeling angry and sad at me leaving just when the show’s soared to new audience heights, concerned for her own future, fearful of troll abuse for publicly backing me," he said.
Morgan added that he hopes they "stay friends because Susanna’s a decent person and we’ve been through a lot together. There aren’t many women I’ve seen hundreds of times at 5am in their curlers and dressing gowns."
Beresford returned to the GMB panel this week – following a holiday – more than a fortnight after his heated clash with Morgan.
He was welcomed back by Kate Garraway, a week on from resuming his weather roll on the ITV morning show.
The heated clash between Beresford and Morgan earlier in March followed the latter's disparaging comments about Meghan Markle in the wake of the her and Prince Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Morgan landed in hot water after saying he didn't believe Markle's claims, including that she had suicidal thoughts due to her treatment by the UK press and Buckingham Palace.