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Piers Morgan has admitted that the coronavirus pandemic has “changed him”, claiming it’s made him “look at things a different way”.
The Good Morning Britain presenter is well known for his outspoken manner and controversial opinions, regularly igniting fierce debate, both on the show and on social media.
However, Piers has now said he feels differently about “culture wars and division and toxicity”.
He was speaking to a filmmaker from Syria, Hassan, who came to the UK to help the NHS during the pandemic, who Piers praised as being “quite extraordinary”.
After the presenter thanked him, Hassan said: “I have to say that you have changed recently and I am really proud of you.”
Piers replied: “Well, you know what? We can all be better people after this, Hassan. I do not exclude myself. I think it’s brought so much perspective, I really do.”
He added: “It has changed me a bit, actually, I’ve got to say. It’s made me look at things in a different way, and it’s made me look at what we as a society value in a different way, and how materialistic we’ve become.
“How petty, how kind of obsessed with culture wars and division and toxicity, all that kind of thing.”
Piers’ comments echoed those he made in a recent interview with The Sunday Times (£), where he admitted he had taken his criticism of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “too far”.
“It’s probably not wise, if you’re a columnist, to make things too personal,” he said.
“Do I think that will govern and temper how I talk about them going forward? Absolutely.”
He added that he is at his “best as a journalist on stuff that really matters”.
“It’s the stuff that is substantial, particularly when people’s lives are at stake, that seems to galvanise my personality into the best possible place,” he said.
“And it’s times of relative peace, calm, quiet and dare I say boredom that might occasionally bring out the worst in me.
“Having squabbles with people who are never going to change their mind in a million years about stuff that no longer seems remotely important.”
Piers previously called the royal couple “repulsive, deluded narcissistic tools” after they sent a letter to four UK tabloids, saying there’d be no further “corroboration” and “zero engagement” between them and the papers in question.
It led to Piers vowing that he would no longer be talking about either of them on Good Morning Britain “for the foreseeable future”.
Piers and co-host Susanna Reid have won praise from many Good Morning Britain viewers for their challenging interviews with government officials about the coronavirus crisis.
However, the way he has held power to account sparked more than 3,000 complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom after two interviews with care minister Helen Whately on GMB last month.
Another 600 viewers also complained about Piers’ interview with health secretary Matt Hancock on 16 April.
However, both matters were cleared by Ofcom, who ruled that Piers is “well-known for his combative interviewing style” and viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.