Alex Beresford said he didn't want Piers Morgan to quit 'Good Morning Britain,' he just wanted him to listen

• Alex Beresford said Thursday that he didn't want Piers Morgan to quit "Good Morning Britain."
• Beresford berated Morgan on the air for his disparaging comments about Meghan Markle.
• Morgan stormed off of the set and later quit the show.

The "Good Morning Britain" cohost Alex Beresford said Thursday that he never wanted Piers Morgan to quit the ITV morning show and that he just wanted him to "listen."

After Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's interview with Oprah, Morgan called Markle a liar and criticized her comments about the royal family. On Tuesday, Beresford berated Morgan live on the air for his comments, calling his behavior "pathetic" and "diabolical."

That led to Morgan storming off of the set and, later that day, quitting the show for good.

Beresford has now shared his reaction to the week's dramatic events in a tweeted statement on Thursday.

Beresford began the statement by clarifying: "Piers' departure sincerely wasn't the conclusion I was hoping for."

The cohost of "Good Morning Britain" explained that he and Piers had shared a good relationship while working together on the show but had contrasting opinions on Harry and Markle's treatment both before the Oprah interview and after.

"I hoped we could reach a place of understanding," Beresford wrote. "It's sad that we weren't able to get there, but challenging his opinion was not an outrage. On this occasion, we have to agree to disagree."

Beresford wrote: "I didn't want him to quit, but I did want him to listen."

He concluded the statement by thanking Morgan for his advice and support and wishing him well.

-Alex Beresford (@alexberesfordTV) March 11, 2021

Since Morgan quit the show, reactions have poured in. The UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced it had received more than 41,000 complaints about Morgan's comments on Markle after she spoke about her suicidal thoughts. It was later reported that Markle herself had lodged a complaint against the host, too.

Other celebrities have commented on the Morgan saga. Sharon Osbourne and Gary Lineker tweeted their support before Osbourne later broke down in tears in defense of Morgan on "The Talk."

Conversely, some have recounted the lasting damage Morgan has inflicted on them. The actress Jameela Jamil said she "almost killed" herself after Morgan's "relentless campaign of lies" against her.

-Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) March 9, 2021

And the comedian Chelsea Handler called Morgan an "asshole" who has stayed the same way since her intense 2014 interview with Morgan.

-Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) March 10, 2021

After Morgan quit, he doubled down on his position regarding the Markle interview and stated again that he doesn't believe her comments about her mental health and thoughts of suicide.