Renowned television presenter, Alison Hammond, sparked reactions from fans with her comments about Meghan Markle on the show.
The TV presenter suggested the backlash facing the Duchess of Sussex is rooted in “racism” and “misogyny”.
Viewers were divided after the debate developed. This morning following new comments from the Duchess of Sussex, who recently claimed she had been “bullied and attacked” online for a decade and described herself as “the most trolled person in the world.”
During the segment, Hammond featured a clip of Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan, expressing her anger over online abuse against her, warning that social media platforms are “pinned and built on cruelty for clicks.”
The presenter then turned to journalist Bryony Gordon and said: “Imagine being the most trolled person in the world. What that must do for you mentally.”
Gordon, who previously expressed support for the duchess, claimed she had experienced trolling herself “by proxy”.
Recalling his own interactions with Archie and Lilibet’s mother, Gordon said he bore “no resemblance” to the “villain” portrayed online and argued that the hostility said more about modern culture than the individual at its center.
“There is this kind of vitriol, particularly against Meghan,” he said, adding that while not everyone has to like public figures, “we don’t need to accept abuse.”
Hammond went on to question the extent of the backlash directed at the former royal, asking: “Ultimately, what has she really and truly done? What? Has she murdered anyone? No. She hasn’t actually done anything.”
She also described it as “sad” that Ordon faced abuse simply for supporting the duchess.
The conversation took a more direct turn when co-host Dermot O’Leary asked the panel why they thought the mother-of-two attracted such intense criticism.
Hammond seemed to agree with Gordon’s assessment and nodded as he said, “Racism.”
She continued: “You know what? You have to call it out when it’s there. Don’t be stupid. It’s racism. It’s misogyny. It’s everything, all of the above.”
The comments quickly sparked a fierce reaction online, with viewers taking to
Another added: “Apparently you can’t criticize a woman or that’s ‘misogynistic’… well it’s not, you’re just wrong.”
Others questioned whether the reaction was related to his actions rather than his identity.
“Could it be that it’s not because of sexism, not because of racism, but because some people just don’t like him?” a post read.
However, Meghan’s fans responded: “I never really understood why she gets so much abuse. I like her and Harry.”
While another suggested critics would soon “return to their usual national sport of criticizing her again.”
