Why Piers Morgan's GMB Departure Has Enhanced Our Democracy

This last week has seen the screening of that explosive interview between the Sussexes and Oprah across the world, the fallout being almost as severe as could have been imagined. Following an almost equally explosive episode of Good Morning Britain on Monday morning and then a major strop on Tuesday’s edition, the infamous Piers Morgan has stepped down from his role as a presenter on the show. It is clear that this is a move we should all be celebrating, one that enhances our democracy and draws on larger questions of the role of the media in our society and how it conducts itself with relation to the nature of discourse in the political sphere. 

Firstly, I would like to make abundantly clear what this article is not. Crucially, it is not a defence of Meghan and Harry, their interview or any of their actions. The interview, whilst raising some really worrying points, still left a number of questions unanswered. One of my biggest queries is the Duke’s seeming lack of action both when his wife explained her suicidal thoughts to him and when this anonymous family member made this terrible remark about the colour of the baby. I find it hard to believe, even if there was initial resistance when Meghan first asked for help, that if the Duke had mobilised, some heads could not have been banged together and help found.

Now, this is not to blame Harry either, the alleged lack of action from the Palace is unacceptable but there seem to be areas in the story in which Meghan and Harry are not faultless and it seems consistent to point this out whilst still recognising the importance and weight of the allegations made. Secondly, this article is not any sort of attempt to limit Morgan’s freedom of speech, the hill that he is currently “willing to die on”. It is perfectly consistent to allow Morgan to make the allegations that he wishes, whilst recognising that they are neither good journalism nor good for our democracy and that is the point that is being made here. 

Way back in the pre-apocalyptic days of 2017 when these sorts of outrageous activities such as cricket matches were allowed, the minnows of Reading Grammar School took down the giants of Wellington College in the county cup semi-final, an event to be written on my tombstone. However watching on was a certain GMB presenter whose son was playing (I’m sure you can work out for yourself whether he was playing for the grammar school or the £40,000+ a year private boarding school). However, as soon as the game was over both Morgans quickly disappeared before hands could even be shaken post game.

Ironically something remarkably similar to the disappearance of Meghan Markle from Morgan’s life following their infamous drinks together, never to be seen again instead merely criticising through “journalism” of truly questionable quality. However, unlike Morgan’s attacks on Meghan, my attack on Morgan is not a personal one but instead one that wishes to shed light on the nature of the media, particularly when interviewing and how it can damage our democracy.

The Good Morning Britain Youtube channel is a dark, dark pit that seemingly has no bottom. Repeated videos of Morgan “ruining” ministers and campaigners alike can make 3 hours disappear in an instant. Despite often fundamentally disagreeing with Morgan, it is often entertaining and fun to watch even if it is just to hear the next outrageous thing to come out of his mouth. This has been seen even more clearly during the pandemic with government ministers appearing on the show and being subject to Morgan’s highly combative interview style. He often appeared to highlight the ineptitude and incompetence of many ministers during this period, in addition to shedding light on some typically overlooked areas.

At face value this seems as if it is beneficial to our democracy. At a time when there is effectively no opposition to the government owing to the failures of Mr Starmer, someone is holding the government to account and really drilling them. Surely this enhances our democracy and Morgan’s exit means that there is one less effective and driven interviewer? 

The point being made here, however, is one of the nature of questioning rather than its existence. Morgan is a famously combative interviewer and often we enjoy that, it’s fun seeing politicians and campaigners alike giving the same nothing answer again and again and avoid the question, it makes us worry about the state of our politics and country at times but there is some strange, potentially sadistic, element inside that laughs (potentially because we would cry if we didn’t).

This weird enjoyment that we get out of it, coupled with social media’s astronomical growth has led to this style of interviewing becoming more and more popular and in many cases the norm. On most TV shows nowadays, whether it is Morgan on GMB or at the daily Downing Street Press conference, there is this desire for a “gotcha” moment. There is a constant desire to make the interviewee look like an idiot, whether this is by asking questions that they know cannot be answered or by never really asking a question, instead preaching the interviewers point of view in the guise of a question, a particular classic for Morgan.

The unfortunate reality is that this is what seems to get views of Youtube and likes on Twitter, a short clip that is humorous to watch rather than the in depth policy discussion and insight into the decision making process that will not just enhance the general population's understanding but also better hold the government to account. If an interview on breakfast television is all about deflecting from an interviewer like Morgan’s aggressive style and surviving without looking ridiculous, then government policy will reflect this, it will become more half baked because one need only survive a 10 minute grilling about it and it will become more and more populist.

If, instead, the morning interviews are calmer and more in depth, drilling down into some of the deep issues through a more fruitful discussion, then government policy will reflect this too, it clearly follows that it will become more rooted in morals and more carefully thought through, because this is the standard the media will hold it to rather than a single “gotcha” moment which can be circulated all over social media.

 Josh Wallace (Ex-Committee) is a second-year reading PPE at Jesus College.