History of Piers Morgan in Timeline
Piers Morgan is a prominent English broadcaster, journalist, writer, and media personality. His career began at The Sun in 1988. He became the youngest editor of a British national newspaper in over 50 years when appointed editor of News of the World in 1994 at age 29. He subsequently edited the Daily Mirror, before being dismissed in 2004. Morgan served as editorial director of First News from 2006 to 2007 and became editor-at-large for MailOnline's US operation in 2014.
1939: Referenced Neville Chamberlain's declaration of war on Germany
In 1939, Neville Chamberlain's declaration of war on Germany was parodied in the Daily Mirror.
March 1965: Piers Morgan Born in Guildford, Surrey
In March 1965, Piers Stefan O'Meara was born in Guildford, Surrey, to Vincent Eamonn O'Meara and Gabrielle Georgina Sybille (née Oliver).
March 1965: Piers Morgan Born
In March 1965, Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (né O'Meara) was born in England.
1985: Joining Surrey and South London Newspaper Group
In 1985, Piers Morgan joined the Surrey and South London Newspaper Group after studying journalism at Harlow College.
1988: Career at The Sun Begins
In 1988, Piers Morgan began his career in journalism at the tabloid newspaper, The Sun.
1988: Working as a Freelancer at The Sun
In 1988, Piers Morgan began working as a freelancer at The Sun, dropping his double-barrelled name at this point.
1991: Marriage to Marion Shalloe
In 1991, Piers Morgan married Marion Shalloe, a hospital ward sister.
January 1994: Becoming Editor of News of the World
In January 1994, Piers Morgan was appointed editor of the News of the World, becoming the youngest national newspaper editor in more than half a century.
December 1994: Recruited for "Bizarre" Column
In December 1994, Piers Morgan said he was recruited by Kelvin Mackenzie to work on the newspaper's show business column "Bizarre".
1994: Identified as a Conservative
In 1994, Piers Morgan identified as a supporter of the Conservative Party.
1994: Appointment as News of the World Editor
In 1994, Piers Morgan was appointed editor of the News of the World at the age of 29, becoming the youngest editor of a British national newspaper in more than half a century.
1995: Editing the Daily Mirror
In 1995, Morgan began editing the Daily Mirror.
1995: Leaving News of the World
In 1995, Piers Morgan left his position at News of the World after publishing photographs that violated the editors' code of conduct.
February 1997: Daily Mirror Rebranding
In February 1997, the Daily Mirror spent £16 million on a rebranding project, including dropping "Daily" from the masthead, which was later reversed.
August 1999: Roy Greenslade's Assessment of Morgan's Editorship
In August 1999, Roy Greenslade noted that Piers Morgan's editorship had made a significant positive difference, highlighting his enthusiasm, determination, and focus.
October 1999: Voicemail Interception Story
In October 1999, during Morgan's tenure as editor, the Daily Mirror was advised by Steven Nott that voicemail interception was possible, but the story did not appear in the paper.
2000: Investigation for Share Purchase
In 2000, Piers Morgan was investigated after purchasing £20,000 worth of shares in Viglen shortly before the Mirror's "City Slickers" column recommended Viglen as a good investment.
September 2002: Lunch with Jeremy Paxman
In September 2002, Piers Morgan and Jeremy Paxman had a lunch in which Morgan outlined the means of hacking a mobile phone voicemail.
2002: Published Affair of Sven-Göran Eriksson and Ulrika Jonsson
In 2002, Piers Morgan published a story concerning the affair of Sven-Göran Eriksson and Ulrika Jonsson while editor of the Daily Mirror.
2002: Daily Mirror Attempt to Move Mid-Market
In 2002, the Daily Mirror attempted to shift its focus mid-market, reducing trivial stories and appointing Christopher Hitchens as a columnist, but sales declined.
October 2003: Jeremy Clarkson's Water Incident
In October 2003, Jeremy Clarkson poured a glass of water over Piers Morgan during the last flight of Concorde due to published photographs in the Mirror.
2003: Interview with Charlotte Church
In 2003, Piers Morgan had an interview with Charlotte Church, where he explained to her how to avoid answerphone messages being listened to by journalists.
2003: The Importance of Being Famous
In 2003, Piers Morgan presented a three-part documentary series for the BBC titled The Importance of Being Famous.
March 2004: Clarkson Punches Morgan at British Press Awards
In March 2004, Jeremy Clarkson punched Piers Morgan three times during an argument at the British Press Awards.
May 2004: Law Lords Rule in Favour of Naomi Campbell
In May 2004, the Law Lords ruled in favour of Naomi Campbell on privacy grounds after the Mirror published a photograph of her entering a Narcotics Anonymous clinic. Morgan criticized the judgement.
May 2004: Sacking as Editor of the Daily Mirror
On May 14, 2004, Piers Morgan was sacked as editor of the Daily Mirror after publishing fake photographs alleged to show Iraqi prisoners being abused by British soldiers.
2004: Cleared of Charges
In 2004, Piers Morgan was cleared of any charges by the Department of Trade and Industry.
2004: Firing from the Daily Mirror
In 2004, Piers Morgan was fired from his role as editor of the Daily Mirror.
2004: Separation from Marion Shalloe
Piers Morgan and Marion Shalloe separated in 2004.
May 2005: Morgan gains ownership of Press Gazette
In May 2005, Piers Morgan, in partnership with Matthew Freud, acquired Press Gazette and the British Press Awards for £1 million. This ownership led to a boycott of the 2006 awards by major newspapers.
December 2005: Conviction of "City Slickers" Columnists
On December 7, 2005, Anil Bhoyrul and James Hipwell were convicted of conspiracy to breach the Financial Services Act.
May 2006: First News launched
In May 2006, Piers Morgan launched First News, a weekly newspaper aimed at children aged seven to 14, serving as its editorial director.
2006: Pride of Britain Awards
From 1999 to 2006, Piers Morgan chaired a panel that chose the recipients of the annual Pride of Britain Awards broadcast on ITV.
2006: Morgan judges America's Got Talent
In 2006, Piers Morgan became a judge on America's Got Talent alongside Brandy Norwood and David Hasselhoff.
2006: Editorial Director of First News
In 2006, Piers Morgan became the editorial director of First News.
2006: Press Gazette faces financial issues
Towards the end of 2006, Press Gazette entered administrative receivership before being sold to a trade buyer.
2007: Judging Britain's Got Talent
In 2007, Piers Morgan became a judge on the television talent show Britain's Got Talent.
2007: Morgan breaks ribs falling off a Segway
In 2007, Piers Morgan fell off a Segway and broke three ribs, leading to mockery from Simon Cowell, referencing a previous comment Morgan made in 2003 about George W. Bush falling off a Segway.
2007: Appearances on TV shows
In 2007, Piers Morgan was fired on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice. He was also a judge on America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent.
2007: End of tenure at First News
In 2007, Piers Morgan's time as the editorial director of First News came to an end.
January 2008: Piers Morgan on Sandbanks
In January 2008, Piers Morgan fronted a three-part documentary about Sandbanks for ITV entitled Piers Morgan on Sandbanks.
2008: Winning The Celebrity Apprentice US
In 2008, Piers Morgan won The Celebrity Apprentice US.
2008: Divorce from Marion Shalloe
Piers Morgan and Marion Shalloe divorced in 2008.
February 2009: Piers Morgan On... series begins
In February 2009, Piers Morgan began a three-part series, Piers Morgan On..., visiting Dubai, Monte Carlo, and Hollywood.
2009: Hosting Piers Morgan's Life Stories
In 2009, Piers Morgan began hosting the ITV talk show Piers Morgan's Life Stories.
June 2010: Marriage to Celia Walden
On June 24, 2010, Piers Morgan married journalist Celia Walden.
2010: Piers Morgan On... Second series
In 2010 the show 'Piers Morgan On...' returned for a second series.
2010: End of Britain's Got Talent judging role
In 2010, Piers Morgan's time as a judge on Britain's Got Talent came to an end.
January 2011: Morgan replaces Larry King on CNN
On January 17, 2011, Piers Morgan replaced Larry King on CNN with his show, Piers Morgan Live.
May 2011: Banning Hugh Grant
In May 2011, Piers Morgan banned actor Hugh Grant from his shows on CNN and ITV after Grant criticized the tabloid press.
July 2011: Allegations of Publishing Hacked Story
In July 2011, political blogger Paul Staines alleged that Piers Morgan published a story about Sven-Göran Eriksson and Ulrika Jonsson in 2002, knowing it was obtained by phone hacking.
July 2011: Visit by Operation Weeting Officers
On 18 July 2011, Steven Nott was visited by officers of Operation Weeting.
December 2011: Appearing at the Leveson Inquiry
In December 2011, Piers Morgan appeared as a witness at the Leveson Inquiry, admitting to hearing a recording of a Paul McCartney message for Heather Mills but refusing to disclose the source.
2011: Hosting Piers Morgan Live on CNN
In 2011, Piers Morgan began hosting the CNN talk show Piers Morgan Live.
2011: Denial of Phone Hacking Involvement
In 2011, Piers Morgan denied any involvement in phone hacking and stated that he had not knowingly published any stories obtained from phone hacking.
February 2012: Heather Mills' Testimony at Leveson Inquiry
In February 2012, Heather Mills testified at the Leveson Inquiry, denying ever making a recording of McCartney's phone call or playing it to Morgan.
March 2012: Reported Bad Relations with Madonna
In March 2012, MTV reported on the strained relationship between Piers Morgan and Madonna, claiming that Morgan felt slighted by Madonna over the years due to an alleged lie from the singer's publicist.
May 2012: Jeremy Paxman's Testimony at Leveson Inquiry
In May 2012, Jeremy Paxman testified at the Leveson Inquiry, recalling a lunch in September 2002 with Piers Morgan where Morgan described how to hack a mobile phone voicemail.
September 2012: Banning Kelsey Grammer
In September 2012, Piers Morgan reportedly banned actor Kelsey Grammer from his show after Grammer saw a photo of his ex-wife Camille during the show's opening. This incident led to accusations of an 'ambush' by Piers.
November 2012: Taking on the Tabloids Documentary
In November 2012, Channel 4's Taking on the Tabloids documentary showed footage from a 2003 interview where Piers Morgan explained how to avoid answerphone messages being listened to by journalists.
November 2012: Leveson Inquiry Findings
On 29 November 2012, the official findings of the Leveson Inquiry were released, in which Lord Justice Leveson said that Morgan's testimony under oath on phone hacking was "utterly unpersuasive".
2012: Criticism of Aaron Ramsey
During the 2012-13 season, Piers Morgan criticized Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, leading to Ramsey refusing to shake his hand in April 2015.
2012: Morgan contradicts himself regarding Jimmy Savile
In 2012, following revelations of Jimmy Savile's sexual abuse, Piers Morgan claimed he had never met Savile, contradicting a 2009 piece he wrote stating that Savile praised his TV shows.
December 2013: Interviewed Under Caution by Police
On 6 December 2013, Piers Morgan was interviewed under caution by police officers from Operation Weeting regarding phone hacking allegations.
February 2014: Dispute with Janet Mock
In February 2014, Janet Mock criticized Piers Morgan after an interview on Piers Morgan Live, for describing her as "formerly a man." Mock and Morgan debated the dispute on a subsequent show.
February 2014: Piers Morgan Live cancelled
In February 2014, Piers Morgan Live was cancelled due to poor ratings and ended its run in March 2014. Morgan cited his British perspective on American cultural issues as a contributing factor.
September 2014: Morgan becomes editor-at-large for MailOnline
In September 2014, Piers Morgan was appointed as the first editor-at-large for MailOnline's US operation, contributing several columns each week.
September 2014: Trinity Mirror admits to phone hacking
In September 2014, Trinity Mirror admitted that its journalists engaged in phone hacking and agreed to compensate those affected. The alleged wrongdoings primarily occurred during the early 2000s when Piers Morgan was the Daily Mirror editor, though he has denied involvement.
2014: Editor-at-Large for MailOnline US
In 2014, Morgan became the first editor-at-large of the MailOnline website's US operation.
2014: End of Piers Morgan Live on CNN
In 2014, Piers Morgan's time hosting the CNN talk show Piers Morgan Live came to an end.
April 2015: Guest host of Good Morning Britain
From 13 to 17 April 2015, Piers Morgan guest-hosted five episodes of Good Morning Britain on ITV.
April 2015: Aaron Ramsey Refuses Handshake
On April 26, 2015, Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey refused to shake Piers Morgan's hand due to criticism Ramsey received from Morgan during the 2012-13 season.
November 2015: Permanent co-host of Good Morning Britain
In November 2015, Piers Morgan became a permanent co-host on Good Morning Britain, appearing alongside Susanna Reid and Charlotte Hawkins.
2015: John Cleese's Detestation
In 2015, John Cleese expressed strong dislike for Piers Morgan, stating he "truly detested" him and had avoided him in a restaurant. Cleese erroneously claimed Morgan had "admitted" to authorising phone-hacking. This marked the beginning of ongoing public clashes between the two.
2015: Co-presenting Good Morning Britain
In 2015, Piers Morgan began co-presenting the ITV Breakfast programme Good Morning Britain alongside Susanna Reid.
2015: Ofcom Criticism for On-Air Language
In 2015, Piers Morgan was criticized by Ofcom for laughing when a guest used the word 'fucking' repeatedly live on air. While no formal action was taken due to an apology from Susanna Reid, Ofcom expressed concern regarding Morgan's behavior.
2015: Voted for the Animal Welfare Party
In the 2015 general election, Piers Morgan voted for the Animal Welfare Party.
March 2016: Interviews Trump on Good Morning Britain
In March 2016, Piers Morgan interviewed Donald Trump on Good Morning Britain.
April 2016: Ofcom Complaints Regarding Gay Marriage Comments
In April 2016, Ofcom received 70 complaints related to comments made by Piers Morgan during an interview with Richard Page about gay marriage. Viewers felt that Morgan implied Christians were homophobic, but Ofcom did not investigate.
2016: Killer Women with Piers Morgan
From 2016 to 2017, Piers Morgan presented the TV series Killer Women with Piers Morgan, interviewing female murderers.
2016: Voted Against Brexit
In the 2016 EU referendum, Piers Morgan voted against Brexit.
January 2017: Controversy over Women's March and Ewan McGregor
In January 2017, Piers Morgan criticized the Women's March on Washington, leading to Ewan McGregor pulling out of a Good Morning Britain appearance. Morgan then accused McGregor of being a "paedophile-loving hypocrite".
January 2017: Morgan challenges Trump views
In late January 2017, on ITV's Loose Women, Piers Morgan stated his disagreements with Donald Trump on issues such as gun control, climate change, and the "Muslim travel ban".
November 2017: Morgan criticizes Trump's retweets
In late November 2017, Piers Morgan criticized Donald Trump for retweeting videos from Britain First, calling them "disgustingly racist far-right extremists."
2017: Continued Clashes with John Cleese
In 2017, John Cleese reiterated his negative feelings towards Piers Morgan, stating that he had always thought Morgan was an "awful creep" and had been avoiding him. This continued the ongoing public feud between the two.
January 2018: Piers Morgan Interview with President Trump
In January 2018, Piers Morgan presented President Trump – The Piers Morgan Interview for ITV, which was viewed by many as "sycophantic."
July 2018: Morgan interviews Trump on Air Force One
In July 2018, Piers Morgan interviewed Donald Trump on Air Force One during his official visit to the UK, in a TV special entitled Piers, The President and Air Force One.
October 2018: Morgan appears on Hollyoaks
In October 2018, Piers Morgan made a cameo appearance on Hollyoaks.
December 2018: Morgan applies for White House Chief of Staff
In December 2018, Piers Morgan wrote a letter to Donald Trump formally applying to become White House Chief of Staff.
June 2019: Morgan interviews Trump at Churchill War Rooms
During Donald Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom in June 2019, Piers Morgan interviewed Trump at the Churchill War Rooms.
2019: Voted Conservative in General Election
In the 2019 general election, Piers Morgan voted for the Kensington Conservative candidate.
January 2020: Accusations of Racism Over Chinese Dairy Advert Comments
In January 2020, Piers Morgan faced accusations of racism and received 1,095 Ofcom complaints for his comments regarding a Chinese dairy advert, where he used phrases like "ching chong ching milk." He was accused of mocking the Chinese language and antagonizing Chinese people.
April 2020: Morgan criticizes Trump's handling of COVID-19
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Piers Morgan wrote a highly critical article of Donald Trump's handling of the crisis, particularly his suggestion of "ingesting" disinfectant. Trump unfollowed Morgan on Twitter in response.
May 2020: Morgan reflects on his 'vendetta' against Meghan Markle
In May 2020, Piers Morgan acknowledged that his criticism of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, may have been too personal and promised to temper his remarks going forward.
2020: End of Piers Morgan's Life Stories
In 2020, Piers Morgan's time hosting the ITV talk show Piers Morgan's Life Stories came to an end.
March 2021: Oprah Interview
During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Meghan Markle alleged racist comments from the extended Royal Family, regarding the skin color of her baby. This interview would later lead to controversy when Piers Morgan named the alleged family members involved in November 2023.
March 2021: Morgan leaves Good Morning Britain
In March 2021, Piers Morgan departed from Good Morning Britain after a controversy surrounding his remarks about Oprah's interview with Meghan and Harry, which included a heated on-air disagreement with Alex Beresford.
March 2021: Departure from Good Morning Britain
In March 2021, Piers Morgan left Good Morning Britain after facing criticism for his comments on the Oprah with Meghan and Harry interview. The departure led to over 57,000 complaints being lodged with Ofcom, including one from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Subsequently, Ofcom cleared Morgan of any wrongdoing.
March 2021: Criticism of Meghan Markle's Interview
In March 2021, on Good Morning Britain, Piers Morgan doubted the accuracy of Meghan Markle's statements in her interview with Oprah Winfrey, regarding her mental health and alleged racist comments from the Royal Family. This led to a tense on-air argument with Alex Beresford and Morgan's subsequent departure from the show.
March 2021: Ofcom Investigation Launched
On March 9, 2021, Ofcom launched an investigation into the remarks Piers Morgan made on Good Morning Britain about Meghan Markle's mental health, receiving 41,015 complaints. On March 12, it was confirmed that Meghan Markle had also complained. By March 17, complaints reached 57,000, breaking Ofcom's record.
July 2021: Developed COVID-19
In July 2021, Piers Morgan reported developing COVID-19 after the Euro 2020 final, despite being fully vaccinated.
September 2021: News UK Announces TalkTV with Piers Morgan
In September 2021, News UK announced the launch of TalkTV in 2022, with Piers Morgan as the first signed presenter.
September 2021: Ofcom Clears ITV
In September 2021, Ofcom cleared ITV of any wrongdoing regarding Piers Morgan's comments about Meghan Markle, stating that restricting his views would be a "chilling restriction" on freedom of speech. However, they criticized his "apparent disregard" for the subject of suicide.
2021: Departure from Good Morning Britain
In 2021, Piers Morgan left the ITV Breakfast programme Good Morning Britain.
April 2022: Piers Morgan Uncensored Premieres
In April 2022, Piers Morgan Uncensored premiered on TalkTV, featuring an interview with Donald Trump.
April 2022: Morgan Interviews Trump
In April 2022, Piers Morgan interviewed Donald Trump, where Trump called Morgan a fool and walked out of the interview.
November 2022: Cristiano Ronaldo Interview
In November 2022, Piers Morgan interviewed Cristiano Ronaldo, which later won him the Scoop of the Year award in March 2023.
2022: Hosting Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV
In 2022, Piers Morgan began hosting Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV.
March 2023: Scoop of the Year Award
In March 2023, Piers Morgan won the Scoop of the Year award at the British Sports Journalism Awards for his interview with Cristiano Ronaldo in November 2022.
June 2023: TRIC Award for Interview of the Year
In June 2023, Piers Morgan won the TRIC award for Interview of the Year for his Cristiano Ronaldo broadcast.
June 2023: Prince Harry accuses Morgan of phone hacking
In June 2023, Prince Harry accused Piers Morgan of attacking him and his wife, Meghan, to deter his legal action. He also accused Morgan of hacking his phone and that of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
November 2023: Naming Royal Family Members
In November 2023, Piers Morgan revealed the names of two members of the British Royal Family on his Piers Morgan Uncensored show, who were alleged to have had conversations about the skin colour of Meghan Markle's baby. This was in reference to an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. The revelation followed journalist Omid Scobie naming the royals in the Dutch version of his book.
December 2023: Morgan implicated in phone hacking
In December 2023, Prince Harry was awarded £140,600 in damages against Mirror Group Newspapers, with a High Court ruling stating that Piers Morgan and other editors were aware of and involved in phone hacking at their publications. Morgan denied the claims, sparking widespread criticism.
2023: Feud with Trump
In 2023, Piers Morgan said that the GOP needs Ron DeSantis. Trump responded by attacking both DeSantis and Morgan.
2023: Court Case Findings on Phone Hacking
In 2023, a court case found truthful evidence that Morgan knew about private phone hacking, shared a method of phone hacking, and played another's private phone message in the newsroom.
February 2024: Piers Morgan Uncensored Moves to YouTube
In February 2024, Piers Morgan announced that Piers Morgan Uncensored would no longer be broadcast on TalkTV and would be shown exclusively on YouTube.
November 2024: Identified as a Centrist
In November 2024, Piers Morgan identified as a centrist.
2024: Leaving TalkTV and Moving Piers Morgan Uncensored to YouTube
In 2024, Piers Morgan left TalkTV and moved his show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, to YouTube.
2024: Portrayed in Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story
In 2024, Piers Morgan was portrayed by Robert Glenister in the BBC miniseries Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story.
