Lorraine Kelly tried to prove to Piers Morgan that he hadn’t been “cancelled” as he made an appearance on her chat show on Thursday.
The former Good Morning Britain presenter returned to ITV for the first time since his infamous exit from the channel’s breakfast show last year to promote his new talkTV series Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Back in March 2021, Piers departed GMB after calling into question Meghan Markle’s claims that she’d experienced suicidal thoughts during her time as a senior royal.
He later revealed ITV bosses had asked him to apologise for his comments or leave GMB, with Piers opting to stand by his words and exit the show.
Piers has since landed a show on new station talkTV, which he says will aim to “cancel the cancel culture” that saw him forced to leave his previous job.
As Piers sat down with Lorraine to discuss his new venture, the presenter attempted to explain that his new role was proof he had not been “cancelled”.
“But you’re not cancelled though! That’s the thing,” she insisted. People say that you’re cancelled, but you’ve got this massive show coming up.”
Piers responded: “Lorraine, I do and I’m thrilled and excited about it, but I was cancelled from Good Morning Britain, because I did not want to leave and I was told, ‘You’ve got to apologise or leave’ – that is what cancel culture is.
“Sharon Osbourne was cancelled from her show simply for saying I had the right to an opinion, and I just think society has got to get a grip of this.”
He continued: “You and I have argued about so many things over the years, and yet we’ve stayed great friends, loyal friends, we help each other, we have fun together. But I’ve always respected you’re right to vehemently disagree with me about issues.
“I respect your opinion, but we should be allowed to have different opinions and this woke mob have decided that only your opinions can be tolerated, and if you deviate one iota from it, then you will have to be destroyed. They’re not liberal, they’re a new form of fascist and I’m not going to let them get away with it.”
Later in the exchange, Lorraine jokingly asked how long Piers thought it would be before he was “given the elbow” from talkTV, adding: “Because you’ve been sacked from every job.”
He replied: “My track record is about five years, it’s normally five years and then: ‘Piers, here’s a huge cheque, go and lie on a beach for a few months.’ I recommend it, honestly! I’ve had nearly two years of people paying me to do nothing, it’s fantastic!”
Piers then said he did not miss the early starts required to host GMB, but he did “have a great time” hosting the show.
“I don’t want to create the wrong impression,” he said. “I had a lovely time at ITV, I worked here many years doing Life Stories and other shows, particularly Good Morning Britain. Loved working with Susanna [Reid]...”
Lorraine insisted Piers’ exit was “his fault” because he walked out during a fiery debate about his comments on Meghan Markle with weather presenter Alex Beresford.
“No it wasn’t. I didn’t walk out...” Piers replied. “I went back in that day. I had a little time out because I wasn’t sure how I might respond by staying there listening to that idiot giving me his twopenny’s worth. So I did walk back in and I did finish that show.”
As the pair’s good humoured interview came to an end, Lorraine told Piers he could “toddle off now”, to which he jokingly shouted: “I’m storming off,” recreating his infamous GMB walk-out.
“He can’t help himself,” Lorraine said.
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV.