Oprah Winfrey’s controversial interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is gearing up to be one of the most divisive, and potentially insightful, sit downs the iconic TV host has ever conducted.
In clips released from the interview, which will air on Australian screens on Channel 10 at 7:30 pm on Monday, March 8, Meghan Markle responds to Winfrey’s question about how Buckingham Palace would react to their conversation saying, “I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there was an active role that the firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us. And if that comes with the risk of losing things, I mean, there’s been a lot that’s been lost already.”
Meanwhile, Harry, who along with his wife stepped down from Royal duties in January 2020, referenced his late mother, Lady Diana, saying, “I’m just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for her going through this process by herself all those years ago.”
The interview will air in the US from 8 pm-10 pm ET on March 7, which is 12 pm-2 pm AEDT on March 8, with Twitter already ablaze with notable quotes from the conversation.
Meghan: “They were willing to lie to protect other members of the family but they weren’t willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband.”#OprahMeghanHarry
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) March 8, 2021
The timing of the interview has already drawn much criticism, especially given Prince Philip’s ill-health, yet is sure to be tuned into by millions across the globe, and will likely become one of Winfrey’s most-watched exclusives.
According to research conducted by the team at OnBuy.com’s TV division, the guest who currently holds the title for being the most-watched Oprah interview is Mike Tyson whose 2009 chat with Winfrey has clocked up 9,918,912 views on YouTube.
Michael Jackson’s 1993 interview ranks as the second most popular Oprah interview with 7,846,644 YouTubes views, followed by former US President Donald Trump whose 1988 sit down has been viewed 7,200,831 times.
Trump is followed by 50 Cent (5,831,019 views), Ellen DeGeneres (5,219,079 views) and Rihanna (4,621,163 views) respectively ranking fourth, fifth and sixth.
Interestingly, OnBuy.com‘s research showed that while viewers seemed unperturbed by the troubling allegations levelled against Michael Jackson both during and after his life, the same cannot be said for disgraced actor and comedian Bill Cosby. The former television stars 1991 interview stands as the least viewed celebrity Oprah interview with 92,196 YouTube views.
Meanwhile, in the political space, despite people tuning in millions of times to Trump’s interview, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton received just 95,264 views. Additionally, former President Barack Obama’s 2004 interview remains one of the least-watched with 174,073 views, behind only Celine Dion who garnered 191,070.
Britney Spears’ 2002 interview stands as the third least popular Oprah interview with just over 99,000 views, followed by Julia Roberts with 99,500 views and Kanye West with 115,733 views. Conversely, West’s soon-to-be ex-wife Kim Kardashian boasts 4,548,241 views on her 2012 interview — ranking her as the eighth most popular.
Whist many have expressed their outrage over the former royals taking part in the interview, others have celebrated Markle, who is currently pregnant with her second child, for her courage and determination to build a better life for her family — away from what she has described as an environment in which she was the victim of bullying.
Oprah With Meghan And Harry: A CBS Primetime Special will air on Channel 10 at 7:30 pm on Monday, March 8.
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