Piers Morgan career
TV

Piers Morgan career highs and lows: From tabloid shame to cracking America

The presenter has been busy over the years

Piers Morgan has quit GMB after five years – but his controversial career started long before then.

The 55-year-old presenter first made a name for himself across the nation as a newspaper editor.

Here, we take a look at Piers’ career high and lows throughout the years.

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Piers Morgan started his career in journalism (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Piers Morgan quits GMB: Early career

The TV star began his career as a journalist on South London News.

He eventually went on to become the editor of the News of the World.

Then in the late 90s, he bagged himself the role of editor at Daily Mirror.

Read more: Piers Morgan vows he’ll be back as he declares ITV split ‘amicable’ while dissing Meghan again

However, his time at News of the World was later marred by controversy surrounding alleged phone hacking.

An investigation claimed to find that the newspaper had engaged in phone hacking, thought at the time to involve a number of celebrities.

But, in 2011, it was revealed that the phones of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and victims of the 2005 London bombings had also been hacked.

The presenter was fired from the Daily Mirror (Credit: SplashNews.com)

He denied having ever hacked a phone.

In 2004, Piers was fired from his role at the Daily Mirror after serving as an editor for over a decade.

He was let go over photos published that claimed to depict British soldiers abusing an Iraqi prisoner.

However, these photos were later claimed to be fake.

At the time, the newspaper said in a statement: “The Daily Mirror published in good faith photographs which it absolutely believed were genuine images of British soldiers abusing an Iraqi prisoner.

“However there is now sufficient evidence to suggest that these pictures are fakes. And that the Daily Mirror has been the subject of a calculated and malicious hoax.”

Piers joined GMB in 2015 (Credit: ITV)

Getting into television

Meanwhile, in 2006, Piers got his big TV break after joining the panel of America’s Got Talent.

The following year he starred on the UK version of the show.

ITV were so happy with him that they asked him to sign an exclusive deal worth £2 million.

Read more: Ranvir Singh appears to make dig at Piers Morgan as she fills his seat on Good Morning Britain

In 2009, he began presenting his own chat show, Piers Morgan: Life Stories.

Piers also hosts Life Stories on ITV (Credit: ITV)

Piers Morgan quits GMB: What happened on CNN?

Following his TV success, Piers joined CNN in a deal said to be worth millions in 2011.

At the time, he replaced the legendary Larry King.

However, the late television host didn’t appear impressed with his replacement.

He’s certainly an acceptable host.

Speaking about Piers, Larry said: “He’s certainly not bad. He’s certainly an acceptable host. He asks good questions, maybe he interrupts a little too much at times. I think he may have been oversold.”

Sadly, Piers failed to draw in viewers and the show was axed after four years.

During this time on the show, he also angered some Americans when he advocated for more stringent gun control laws.

Piers Morgan says goodbye

When did Piers Morgan join GMB?

After his stint on CNN, Piers started at Good Morning Britain.

He joined the programme alongside co-host Susanna Reid in 2015.

Ahead of quitting, Piers has successfully reported on the pandemic, Brexit and the US election.

Furthermore, he’s also received plenty of Ofcom complaints from angry viewers.

Meanwhile, earlier today, Susanna delivered a solemn statement following Piers’ departure.

Presenting alongside Ranvir Singh, she said: “He has been my presenting partner, Monday to Wednesday, for more than five years and during Brexit and the pandemic and other issues, he has been a voice for many of you and a voice that many of you have railed against.

“It is certainly going to be very different but shows go on and so on we go.”

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor