It may be a new year but some of the same conversations appear to have followed Good Morning Britain viewers into 2023 as they tuned in on Tuesday (January 3). The ITV news programme aired its last show on December 30 and following a brief break, Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley were back at the helm.
After kicking off with a bit of a chit-chat about their own festive celebrations, which actually saw Richard struck down with a month-long 'superbug', it was time to get stuck into discussing the latest news headlines and hot topics. While this largely included the pressures facing the NHS and the continued strikes across the country, there was also another familiar story up for discussion.
Susanna and Richard revealed they would be discussing Harry's latest media move ahead of his memoir release. The highly anticipated book, titled Spare, is set to be released in the coming week and to promote it, he's sat down for an exclusive interview with ITV's Tom Bradbury.
The 90-minute programme, titled Harry: The Interview and set to air on Sunday (January 8), will see The Duke of Sussex talk in-depth to the journalist and ITV News at Ten presenter, covering a range of subjects including his personal relationships, never-before-heard details surrounding the death of his mother, Diana, and a look ahead at his future.
The book has been billed by publisher Penguin Random House as "a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief." And his new interview with Tom, filmed in California where Harry now lives with his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two young children, sees the Prince go into unprecedented depth and detail on life in and out of the Royal Family.
But as Susanna and Richard began discussing the Prince's latest media move, in which he claims he 'wants his father and his brother back', GMB viewers were flocking to social media to plead 'leave him alone' and 'give him a break'. @accordingtosals tweeted: "@GMB it's not a competition as to who is going through more. Everyone's problems are relative to them. #harry #givehimabreak #gmb #goodmorningbritain."
@AndyB_252 said: "Harry featured on #GMB, must have a book to promote." @LenzoToggz wrote: "#GMB I saw a bit of the Harry and Meghan documentary and plucked out my eyeballs and cut off both my ears. Took an ambulance 10 hours to arrive. I didn't know what to be most annoyed about!"
Later in the programme, the hosting duo were joined by broadcaster and writer Nina Myskow and broadcaster Esther Krakue to discuss Prince Harry's upcoming memoir and his subsequent promo trail. During the segment, Richard vented: "This seems to be going on and on and on and on and on.
"Whenever I turn the television on it’s Harry whinging about something to do with his background and the royal family." But Nina didn't agree as she hit back: "You say whinging..." But before she could finish Richard interrupted: "Well yeah, he is whinging."
Nina continued: "No he’s not whinging he’s expressing his view. You have heard there, it’s the leaking and the lack of support. The leaking from the palace via a very complicit media, and it’s there for all to see." Esther, however, slammed Harry and Meghan, branding them "brats".
"They haven't done anything good, they have spent the last two years winging and complaining," she fumed. "They have a nice mansion in California, why don't you stay there with your kids and your chicken coops and keep your mouth shut." Susanna then stepped in and said: "Esther, one of the reasons as we have seen from these small clips of these interviews, Prince Harry feels like he can't have that life and get on with it.
"Even though privately he is trying to reconcile with his family, every time he reaches out and does that privately there are briefings that he has no control of..." Esther, however, interjected and said: "Then he needs to step back, he needs to be an adult and get on with it. He has a wife and family that depend on him, not everything can be about you and your feelings."
As Nina began to reply to Esther's comments, Richard shouted over her that it would be her "last point" as he tried to bring the debate to an end in order to move on with the show. Esther told Nina: "We are adults, that is the difference," as Nina snapped: "Dear girl I am way beyond adult. I find your view childish, the briefings that have been,"
Richard then shouted over again before she began to speak and said: "Last point!" She continued: "Last point. They have been badly served this couple, by the media being briefed by the palace. They have been pushed out, they are entitled to say what they have gone through and how they feel and I would also like to note. What are the Royal Family so terrified of?" Susanna then stepped in and said: "Ok, we will have to leave this hanging in the air and bring this to an adult close."
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