Piers Morgan cleared by Ofcom after 4,000 complaints over interviews with Tory MPs

Presenter was accused of treating care minister Helen Whateley ‘unfairly’

Piers Morgan will not be investigated by Ofcom after the media regulator received 4,000 complaints over his interviews with Conservative politicians.

The Good Morning Britain presenter’s two interviews with care minister Helen Whateley earlier this month led to more than 3,200 complaints, while 600 related to a segment with health secretary Matt Hancock.

In one of his interviews with Whateley, Morgan repeatedly corrected her on the number of NHS staff who have died from the coronavirus, calling the figures she gave “nonsense”. Many complained to say the politician was treated “unfairly”.

At the time, Whateley accused him of "shouting at me and not giving me a chance to answer your questions".

Ofcom has now said "viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians and hold them to account".

The watchdog said that Morgan is "well known for his combative interviewing style” and “his guests were given adequate opportunity to put their points across and counter the presenter's criticisms”.

The statement continued: "In Ofcom's view, in line with freedom of expression, it is clearly in the public interest that broadcasters are able to hold those making political decisions to account, particularly during a major national crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic."