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‘You don’t have to have an opinion on everything’: James O’Brien sends out heartfelt plea on suicide

James O’Brien has called for more compassion in the media after Meghan Markle disclosed that she has had suicidal thoughts in an interview with Oprah.

In footage that aired in the UK on Monday night the Duchess of Sussex said there was a time that she “didn’t want to be alive anymore”, adding: “I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. And I said that I’d never felt this way before. I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn’t, because it wouldn’t be good for the institution.”

But, the following morning, Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan caused controversy after he said: “I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she says”, comments he has since reaffirmed.

Speaking on his LBC show this morning, O’Brien made a heartfelt plea to others who may be thinking of saying the same thing.

“If someone tells you they have suicidal thoughts or ideation and you accuse them of lying, how on earth could they prove you wrong?”, he said.

“That is why this has been a particularly unpleasant chapter for some corners of the British media.

“You don’t have to have an opinion on everything”.

Watch the clip in full below:

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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