The Duchess of Sussex, the Duke of Sussex, and her mother, Doria Ragland. Picture: Ben Stanstall/PA Wire
GB News has apologised on air to the mother of Meghan Markle after a commentator wrongly claimed she had spent time in prison.
Markle’s team blamed “irresponsible commentators” for the repetition of the false claim about Doria Ragland and suggested they would have pursued libel action against GB News if the apology had not been made.
According to Deadline, broadcast regulator Ofcom received 805 complaints about the comments.
GB News regular Carole Malone made the comments on the 9.30am show Britain’s Newsroom on 4 December when discussing recent reporting of Markle’s relationship with her father as he underwent emergency surgery.
Malone said on Monday morning’s show that she “stated that Thomas Markle, the Duchess of Sussex’s father, brought Meghan up while her mother Doria Ragland was in prison.
“I believed this to be the case based on what I now understand to be misinformation I had seen online. I was questioned about the validity of this claim during the broadcast and I repeated this belief which I now understand to be false.
“This was a genuine error. I accept what I have now been told on behalf of Ms Ragland: that she raised her daughter and that she has never been in prison or jail.
“I apologise sincerely to Ms Ragland and her family for any pain my comments may have caused and I’m happy to set the record straight.”
Britain’s Newsroom co-host Andrew Pierce added: “Can I just say on behalf of GB News, because I was on the programme that day, we all wish to apologise to Ms Ragland for the error and we are happy to correct the record.”
Malone’s apology has been widely shared on social media but the full-length programme is not currently available on Youtube, unlike many other GB News shows including Tuesday’s edition of Britain’s Newsroom.
A statement from Markle’s team given to Us Weekly said: “Broadcasters have a responsibility to inform, not inflame.
“This lie was conclusively debunked more than two years ago, yet it continues to be recycled by irresponsible commentators, causing recurring harm. Ms Ragland proudly raised her daughter and has never been in prison.
“GB News did not apologise voluntarily, but only to escape a defamation lawsuit – and it speaks volumes that GB News removed any trace of that apology within 24 hours of making it.”
Earlier this month it was revealed GB News had agreed to pay “substantial” damages to UK-based humanitarian charity Islamic Relief after an interviewee made the false claim it had sent money to terrorist groups.
The claim was made on The Camilla Tominey Show in February and an apology was published online and aired on the show in September.
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