Ewan McGregor pulled out of a TV interview with Piers Morgan on Tuesday (24Jan17) because he disagrees with the Good Morning Britain co-host’s views on the Women’s March.
The Scottish actor was due to appear on the breakfast program on Tuesday morning to chat about his new movie T2 Trainspotting when he discovered he would be chatting to presenter Susanna Reid and her controversial co-host Piers, and decided to cancel at the last minute.
Was going on Good Morning Britain, didn’t realise @piersmorgan was host. Won’t go on with him after his comments about #WomensMarch
— Ewan McGregor (@mcgregor_ewan) January 24, 2017
“Was going on Good Morning Britain, didn’t realise @piersmorgan was host,” he explained on Twitter. “Won’t go on with him after his comments about #WomensMarch.”
I’m with you in spirit today women of the world. My daughters are marching. I’m so proud to see this extraordinary power.
— Ewan McGregor (@mcgregor_ewan) January 21, 2017
Piers sparked outcry when he blasted the marches which took place around the globe on Saturday (21Jan17).
“Imagine if there were a load of men-only marches today? The feminists would go crackers,” he tweeted at the time. “I’m planning a ‘Men’s March’ to protest at the creeping global emasculation of my gender by rabid feminists. Who’s with me?”
He also wrote about it in Monday’s (23Jan17) edition of the Daily Mail, in which he insisted the marches weren’t about women’s rights but “Trump-hating” and “nasty women being nasty, whipped into a man-hating frenzy”.
A spokesperson for the show told the BBC Ewan turned up to the studio but decided “not to go ahead with” the interview.
After learning about the snub, Piers called him “unprofessional” and told viewers, “He couldn’t bear the thought of being on the sofa with me because he disagrees with me about the Women’s March.”
As you may have heard, @mcgregor_ewan stood us up today because of @piersmorgan – and here’s what he had to say about it…@susannareid100 pic.twitter.com/aarr2rb0r7
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 24, 2017
He sarcastically added: “I have to agree with what an actor thinks on a political issue because they’re actors. Actors’ views are more important than anyone else’s. I’d like to apologise to all the viewers looking forward to seeing Ewan.”
Sorry to hear that @mcgregor_ewan – you should be big enough to allow people different political opinions. You’re just an actor after all.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 24, 2017
A real man would have come on and debated it with me, not run away like a coward. https://t.co/z5HmkFASwM
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 24, 2017
Vainspotting.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 24, 2017
Piers continued to take aim at Ewan on Twitter after the program by writing, “Sorry to hear that @mcgregor_ewan – you should be big enough to allow people different political opinions. You’re just an actor after all… A real man would have come on and debated it with me, not run away like a coward… Vainspotting.”
Susanna also wrote on Twitter that she wished Ewan had come on air to debate the issue.
Such a shame. Challenge views where there’s difference. Would have liked to see that debate on air – it’s an important one. #WomensMarch https://t.co/dSsMZ9mc46
— Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) January 24, 2017
I’m a feminist. #WomensMarch = powerful way to protest Trump’s comments & highlight issues. But @piersmorgan‘s views are also widely held
— Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) January 24, 2017
A representative for the show had earlier joked on Twitter perhaps he wanted to “avoid tension” with Piers as the host’s wife Celia is attracted to the Moulin Rouge! star.