Piers Morgan defends This Morning's Holly and Phil over 'ridiculous' backlash

ok.co.uk:

Piers Morgan has branded criticism faced by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield as “ridiculous” in light of the This Morning hosts facing backlash for appearing to jump the queue to visit the Queen’s Lying-in-State.The pair were spotted paying their respects to the late monarch last week at Windsor Hall where they donned press passes around their necks, sparking people to believe it gave them priority access while others waited hours on end to see the Queen’s coffin.

People have now criticised them, and even gone as far as creating a petition to have the hosting duo axed from ITV’s This Morning.

Piers Morgan has since spoken out in Holly and Phil’s defence however, calling the backlash they’re facing “ridiculous”. “All hell broke loose about this, they have been subject to, I think, a ridiculously over-the-top campaign,” he said on his TalkTV show. "20,000 people have signed a petition to have them fired.

Of course they shouldn't be fired, it's ridiculous." He went on: “It may have been a misjudgement. I said myself on this show, I don't think anyone should have been jumping the queue full stop, whoever you are, unless you are a world leader and there is a time issue." Piers then proceeded to play a clip of Holly addressing the criticism herself, and said the mum-of-three is “distraught”. "Full disclosure, I am a good friend with Holly and I feel very sorry, she is absolutely distraught about the reaction,” he revealed.