Piers Morgan has both broken stories and become one on multiple occasions throughout his varied media career. The 57-year-old former tabloid editor, who launches his new show on TalkTV on Monday, has found success both in the UK and the US with his strident opinions and aggressive interview style.
In 1994, aged 29, he was appointed as the editor of the News of the World by Rupert Murdoch. Shortly afterwards he jumped ship to the Daily Mirror, which he edited from 1995 to 2004, and left following controversy over whether images purporting to show British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners were fake.
Morgan then moved into the world of television, appearing as a judge on America’s Got Talent in the US in 2006. He also won the US celebrity version of The Apprentice in 2008, during which he appeared alongside the future American president Donald Trump.
He later landed his own show in the country on CNN, titled Piers Morgan Live. The programme, which regularly featured lively debates on topics such as gun control, ran from 2011 until 2014.
The following year it was announced that Morgan would be joining Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain on ITV, the channel which also broadcasts Piers Morgan’s Life Stories. The show saw Morgan interview celebrity guests including Captain Sir Tom Moore, Gemma Collins and former boxer Chris Eubank.
Good Morning Britain became known for its combative interviews during Morgan’s stint on the presenting team. He was able to use his connections with Mr Trump to secure the first international interview with him in 2018.
In 2021, he made headlines after leaving the ITV breakfast show following an on-air clash with weather presenter Alex Beresford over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. Morgan said he did not believe Meghan’s claims from the headline-making special, with his comments sparking more than 50,000 complaints, the most in Ofcom’s history.
The watchdog later ruled Good Morning Britain was not in breach of the broadcasting code over Morgan’s comments. Since his departure from the show no permanent replacement has been announced, with Richard Madeley and others appearing in a rotating cast of guest presenters.
In September 2021, Morgan announced he was launching a global show, Uncensored, that will air via TalkTV in the UK, Fox Nation in the US and Sky News in Australia. The project will reunite him with Australian-born media mogul Murdoch.
