Piers Morgan is a prominent English media personality with a career spanning several decades in broadcasting, journalism, and writing. He started at The Sun in 1988 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest editor of a British national newspaper in over 50 years when Rupert Murdoch appointed him editor of the News of the World in 1994. After his editorship at the News of the World, Morgan took over the Daily Mirror in 1995 until his dismissal in 2004. He subsequently became editorial director of First News and later, the first editor-at-large of MailOnline's US website. Throughout his career, Morgan has been known for his often controversial opinions and outspoken personality.
1939: Parodied Chamberlain's Declaration of War
The headline parodied Neville Chamberlain's 1939 declaration of war on Germany.
March 1965: Birth of Piers Morgan
Piers Morgan was born Piers Stefan O'Meara in Reigate, Surrey in March 1965.
March 1965: Piers Morgan's birth and early life
Piers Morgan was born Piers Stefan O'Meara in Reigate, Surrey in March 1965. He later took his stepfather's surname.
1985: Journalism studies and early career
After briefly working at Lloyd's of London, Morgan studied journalism at Harlow College and joined the Surrey and South London Newspaper Group in 1985.
1988: Begins work at The Sun
Piers Morgan began working at The Sun in 1988.
1988: Career Begins at The Sun
Piers Morgan started working as a freelance journalist at The Sun in 1988, focusing on the show business column "Bizarre".
1991: First Marriage
Piers Morgan married Marion Shalloe, a hospital ward sister, in 1991.
January 1994: Becomes Editor of News of the World
Piers Morgan was appointed editor of the News of the World in January 1994.
December 1994: Recruited by Kelvin MacKenzie
Piers Morgan was recruited by Kelvin MacKenzie to work on The Sun's "Bizarre" column in December 1994.
1994: Youngest National Newspaper Editor
In 1994, at age 29, Piers Morgan became the editor of the News of the World, making him the youngest national newspaper editor in over half a century.
1995: Edits Daily Mirror
Piers Morgan became editor of the Daily Mirror in 1995.
1995: Leaves News of the World
Piers Morgan left his position as editor of the News of the World in 1995 after publishing controversial photographs of Catherine Victoria Lockwood.
June 1996: Controversial Headline Apology
Piers Morgan apologized for a controversial headline published in the Daily Mirror regarding the Euro '96 football championships in June 1996.
February 1997: Daily Mirror Rebranding
Under Morgan's leadership, the Daily Mirror underwent a rebranding project in February 1997, including briefly dropping "Daily" from its masthead.
1998: Alleged Phone Hacking Begins
Legal papers suggest that phone hacking at Trinity Mirror could have started as early as 1998.
August 1999: Positive Assessment of Morgan's Editorship
Roy Greenslade praised Morgan's editorship of the Daily Mirror in August 1999.
October 1999: Voicemail Interception Information
In October 1999, the Daily Mirror, under Morgan's editorship, was informed about voicemail interception but didn't publish the story.
1999: Pride of Britain Awards
Starting in 1999, Piers Morgan began chairing a panel for the annual Pride of Britain Awards on ITV, a role he held until 2006.
2000: Investigation into Share Purchase
Piers Morgan was investigated in 2000 after buying shares in Viglen shortly before the Mirror's "City Slickers" column recommended them.
September 2002: Paxman-Morgan Lunch
In September 2002, Piers Morgan had lunch with Jeremy Paxman, allegedly outlining methods for hacking voicemails.
2002: The Mirror's Mid-Market Attempt
In 2002, The Mirror attempted a shift towards more serious news under Morgan's editorship but saw sales decline.
2002: Sven-Göran Eriksson Affair Story
In 2002, the Daily Mirror, edited by Piers Morgan, published a story about an alleged affair between Sven-Göran Eriksson and Ulrika Jonsson.
October 2003: Concorde Incident
In October 2003, Jeremy Clarkson poured water over Piers Morgan on the last flight of Concorde, reportedly in response to photos published in the Mirror.
2003: The Importance of Being Famous
Piers Morgan presented a three-part BBC documentary series, "The Importance of Being Famous," in 2003, exploring fame and media coverage of celebrities.
2003: Bush Segway Comment
In 2003, after George W. Bush fell off a Segway, Piers Morgan, then editor of the Daily Mirror, published a headline criticizing the president. This comment would later be used against Morgan when he himself experienced a Segway mishap in 2007.
2003: Interview with Charlotte Church
In 2003, Piers Morgan gave an interview to Charlotte Church during which he discussed how journalists might access voicemail messages.
March 2004: British Press Awards Altercation
In March 2004, at the British Press Awards, Jeremy Clarkson punched Piers Morgan three times during an argument.
May 2004: Naomi Campbell Privacy Case
In May 2004, Piers Morgan criticized a legal decision favoring Naomi Campbell in a privacy case against the Mirror.
May 2004: Dismissal from Daily Mirror
On May 14, 2004, Piers Morgan was sacked from the Daily Mirror for publishing fake photos of alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners.
2004: Separation from Marion Shalloe
Piers Morgan separated from his first wife, Marion Shalloe, in 2004.
2004: Cleared of Charges
Piers Morgan was cleared of charges related to the Viglen share dealings by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2004.
2004: Fired from Daily Mirror
Piers Morgan was fired from his position as editor of the Daily Mirror in 2004.
May 2005: Press Gazette Acquisition
In May 2005, Piers Morgan and Matthew Freud acquired Press Gazette, which publishes the British Press Awards.
December 2005: City Slickers Columnists Convicted
The "City Slickers" columnists, Anil Bhoyrul and James Hipwell, were convicted of conspiracy to breach the Financial Services Act in December 2005.
May 2006: First News Launch
On May 4, 2006, Piers Morgan launched First News, a weekly newspaper for children.
2006: Press Gazette Boycott and Receivership
In 2006, many newspapers boycotted the British Press Awards due to Morgan's ownership of Press Gazette, which then went into receivership.
2006: America's Got Talent Judge
Piers Morgan became a judge on "America's Got Talent" in 2006.
2006: End of Pride of Britain Role and Morgan and Platell
Piers Morgan concluded his role as chairman for the Pride of Britain Awards in 2006 after serving since 1999. Also, "Morgan and Platell," a current affairs show he co-hosted on Channel 4, was dropped, allegedly due to low viewership.
2006: America's Got Talent Judge
Piers Morgan debuted as a judge on NBC's "America's Got Talent" in 2006, alongside Brandy Norwood and David Hasselhoff, replacing Simon Cowell.
2006: Editorial Director of First News
Piers Morgan served as the editorial director of First News from 2006 to 2007.
2007: Segway Incident
In 2007, Piers Morgan fell off a Segway, breaking three ribs. This incident drew mockery from Simon Cowell, referencing Morgan's earlier criticism of George W. Bush's similar fall in 2003.
2007: Leaves First News
In 2007, Piers Morgan's role as editorial director at First News concluded.
2007: Britain's Got Talent Judge
Piers Morgan started judging "Britain's Got Talent" in 2007.
2007: Various TV Appearances
Throughout 2007, Piers Morgan was busy with several television engagements. He participated in "Comic Relief Does The Apprentice," returned as a judge for the second season of "America's Got Talent," joined the judging panel of "Britain's Got Talent," and hosted "You Can't Fire Me, I'm Famous" on BBC One.
January 2008: Piers Morgan on Sandbanks
In January 2008, Piers Morgan presented a three-part ITV documentary called "Piers Morgan on Sandbanks."
2008: Wins Celebrity Apprentice
Piers Morgan won "The Celebrity Apprentice US" in 2008.
2008: Celebrity Apprentice Winner
Piers Morgan won "The Celebrity Apprentice" in 2008, being declared the winner by Donald Trump on March 27th. Despite calling Morgan "ruthless, arrogant, evil, and obnoxious" in the final, Trump later developed a closer relationship with Morgan.
2008: Divorce from Marion Shalloe
Piers Morgan's divorce from Marion Shalloe was finalized in 2008.
February 2009: Piers Morgan On...
Piers Morgan started his travel documentary series "Piers Morgan On..." in February 2009, visiting locations like Dubai, Monte Carlo, and Hollywood.
2009: Meeting Savile
In 2009, Piers Morgan wrote about meeting Jimmy Savile and praising his TV shows, a detail which would later become controversial after Savile's crimes were exposed in 2012.
2009: Piers Morgan's Life Stories Begins
Piers Morgan began hosting the ITV talk show "Piers Morgan's Life Stories" in 2009.
June 2010: Marriage to Celia Walden
In June 2010, Piers Morgan married journalist Celia Walden, daughter of former Conservative MP George Walden.
2010: Leaves Talent Shows
Piers Morgan's roles as a judge on both "America's Got Talent" and "Britain's Got Talent" concluded in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
2010: Piers Morgan On... - Second Series
The second series of "Piers Morgan On..." aired in 2010, with one episode featuring Las Vegas.
January 2011: Piers Morgan Live
Piers Morgan took over Larry King's slot on CNN with his show "Piers Morgan Live" in January 2011.
May 2011: Banning of Hugh Grant
In May 2011, Piers Morgan banned actor Hugh Grant from his shows after Grant criticized the tabloid press.
July 2011: Phone Hacking Allegations
In July 2011, allegations emerged that Piers Morgan published a story in 2002 based on information obtained via phone hacking.
July 2011: Operation Weeting Contact
In July 2011, Steven Nott, who had advised the Mirror about voicemail interception, was contacted by Operation Weeting officers.
December 2011: Leveson Inquiry Testimony (Morgan)
On December 20, 2011, Piers Morgan testified at the Leveson Inquiry about his knowledge of phone hacking at the Mirror.
2011: Piers Morgan Live Begins
Piers Morgan started hosting the CNN talk show "Piers Morgan Live" in 2011.
2011: Denies Phone Hacking Involvement
In 2011, Piers Morgan denied any involvement in phone hacking.
February 2012: Leveson Inquiry Testimony (Mills)
In February 2012, Heather Mills testified at the Leveson Inquiry, denying playing a voicemail message from Paul McCartney to Piers Morgan.
March 2012: Strained Relationship with Madonna
In March 2012, reports surfaced about a strained relationship between Piers Morgan and Madonna, with Morgan claiming to have been misled by the singer's publicist.
May 2012: Leveson Inquiry Testimony (Paxman)
In May 2012, Jeremy Paxman told the Leveson Inquiry about a 2002 lunch where Morgan described how to access voicemail messages.
September 2012: Banning of Kelsey Grammer
In September 2012, Piers Morgan banned actor Kelsey Grammer from his show after Grammer reportedly left the set upon seeing a photo of his ex-wife. The incident was labeled an "ambush" by some, with reports suggesting Grammer had requested no images of his ex-wife be shown.
November 2012: Taking on the Tabloids Documentary
In November 2012, a documentary aired showing Piers Morgan explaining how journalists could access voicemail messages.
November 2012: Leveson Inquiry Findings
On November 29, 2012, the Leveson Inquiry deemed Piers Morgan's testimony on phone hacking "utterly unpersuasive."
2012: Criticism of Aaron Ramsey
During the 2012-13 season, Piers Morgan frequently criticized Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
2012: Savile Controversy
Following the 2012 revelations of Jimmy Savile's child sex abuse, Piers Morgan claimed to have never met Savile, contradicting his own 2009 article where he described a positive encounter with the disgraced TV personality.
December 2013: Police Interview
On December 6, 2013, Piers Morgan was interviewed by police investigating phone hacking at Mirror Group Newspapers.
February 2014: Cancellation of Piers Morgan Live
Due to low ratings, CNN announced the cancellation of "Piers Morgan Live" in February 2014, with the final episode airing in March 2014. Morgan attributed the low ratings to his stance on American cultural issues.
February 2014: Dispute with Janet Mock
In February 2014, Piers Morgan had a public dispute with transgender advocate Janet Mock after an interview on his show. Mock criticized Morgan for his language, and they appeared together again the following day to discuss the controversy.
March 2014: End of Piers Morgan Live
Piers Morgan's CNN show, "Piers Morgan Live", concluded its run in March 2014 after being cancelled due to low ratings.
September 2014: Trinity Mirror Admits Phone Hacking
In September 2014, Trinity Mirror admitted to phone hacking by its journalists and agreed to pay compensation to victims.
September 2014: MailOnline Editor-at-Large
Piers Morgan became the first editor-at-large for the US operation of the MailOnline website in September 2014, writing multiple columns each week.
2014: Piers Morgan Live Ends
"Piers Morgan Live" on CNN ended in 2014.
2014: MailOnline US Editor-at-Large
Piers Morgan was appointed the first editor-at-large of MailOnline's US operation in 2014.
April 2015: Encounter with Aaron Ramsey
On April 26, 2015, Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey refused to shake Piers Morgan's hand, apparently due to past criticism from Morgan.
April 2015: Good Morning Britain Guest Host
Piers Morgan served as a guest host for "Good Morning Britain" on ITV for five episodes in April 2015.
November 2015: Good Morning Britain Co-Host
Piers Morgan became a permanent co-host of "Good Morning Britain" alongside Susanna Reid and Charlotte Hawkins in November 2015.
2015: Joins Good Morning Britain
Piers Morgan joined Susanna Reid as co-presenter of the ITV Breakfast programme "Good Morning Britain" in 2015.
2015: Clash with John Cleese
In 2015, Piers Morgan and John Cleese publicly clashed, with Cleese expressing his strong dislike for Morgan and avoiding him at a restaurant. Cleese erroneously stated that Morgan had admitted to phone hacking. Morgan confirmed the mutual dislike. Cleese's tweet about the incident became very popular.
2015: Ofcom Criticism for On-Air Language
In 2015, Ofcom criticized Piers Morgan for laughing while a guest used profanity on air. Although no formal action was taken due to his co-presenter's apology, the incident raised concerns about Morgan's behavior.
March 2016: Trump Interview on GMB
Piers Morgan interviewed Donald Trump on "Good Morning Britain" in March 2016.
April 2016: Ofcom Complaints Regarding Comments on Gay Marriage
In April 2016, Ofcom received complaints about Piers Morgan's comments during an interview with a Christian magistrate, with viewers suggesting his remarks implied Christians were homophobic. However, Ofcom decided not to investigate the matter.
2016: Killer Women with Piers Morgan
Piers Morgan began presenting the true crime series "Killer Women with Piers Morgan," which ran from 2016 to 2017.
January 2017: Criticism of Women's March and clash with Ewan McGregor
In January 2017, Piers Morgan criticized the Women's March on Washington, calling the protesters "rabid feminists." Actor Ewan McGregor disagreed with Morgan's comments and canceled an appearance on Good Morning Britain where Morgan was scheduled to interview him. Morgan then accused McGregor of hypocrisy for past support of Roman Polanski.
January 2017: Appearance on Loose Women and Trump Comments
Piers Morgan appeared on "Loose Women" in late January 2017, where he was questioned about his support for Donald Trump and expressed his disagreement with Trump on several key issues.
November 2017: Criticism of Trump's Retweets
In late November 2017, Piers Morgan publicly criticized Donald Trump on Twitter for retweeting anti-Muslim videos posted by the far-right group Britain First, leading to a heated online exchange.
2017: Serial Killer with Piers Morgan
As part of ITV's Crime & Punishment season, Piers Morgan presented the series "Serial Killer with Piers Morgan" in 2017.
2017: Continued feud with John Cleese
The feud between Piers Morgan and John Cleese continued in 2017, with Cleese calling Morgan a "creep" in an interview and saying he had been avoiding him. Morgan continued to respond to Cleese's remarks.
January 2018: President Trump - The Piers Morgan Interview
Piers Morgan's interview with Donald Trump for ITV in January 2018, titled "President Trump – The Piers Morgan Interview," was criticized by many as being overly flattering and uncritical.
July 2018: Interview on Air Force One
Piers Morgan interviewed Donald Trump aboard Air Force One in July 2018 for a special titled "Piers, The President and Air Force One."
October 2018: Hollyoaks Cameo
Piers Morgan made a cameo appearance on the soap opera "Hollyoaks" in October 2018.
December 2018: Application for White House Chief of Staff
Piers Morgan wrote to Donald Trump in December 2018, formally applying for the position of White House Chief of Staff.
June 2019: Interview at Churchill War Rooms
During Trump's state visit to the UK in June 2019, Piers Morgan interviewed the president once again, this time at the Churchill War Rooms.
January 2020: Accusations of Racism over Chinese Dairy Advert Comments
In January 2020, Piers Morgan faced accusations of racism and Ofcom complaints after mocking a Chinese dairy advert. His comments included mimicking Chinese pronunciation and using phrases perceived as offensive, leading to widespread criticism online.
April 2020: Criticism of Trump's COVID-19 Response
In April 2020, Piers Morgan heavily criticized Donald Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically his suggestion of ingesting disinfectant. This led to Trump unfollowing Morgan on Twitter.
May 2020: Reflection on Criticism of Meghan Markle
In May 2020, Piers Morgan acknowledged that his criticism of Meghan Markle may have gone too far, admitting that making things "too personal" was "probably not wise."
2020: Piers Morgan's Life Stories Ends
In 2020, "Piers Morgan's Life Stories" concluded its run on ITV.
2020: Criticism of Meghan and Harry
In 2020, Piers Morgan made several critical comments about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's decision to step back from royal duties, calling them "spoiled brats." He also clashed with Afua Hirsch over allegations of racism in the British media's treatment of the Duchess. This led to calls for an advertiser boycott of Good Morning Britain.
2020: Euro 2020 Final
Piers Morgan attended the Euro 2020 final in 2020, shortly before testing positive for COVID-19.
March 2021: Oprah Interview with Meghan and Harry
In March 2021, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey aired, where claims about racism within the royal family were made.
March 2021: Ofcom Investigation and Record Complaints
In March 2021, Ofcom launched an investigation into Piers Morgan's remarks about Meghan Markle's mental health, following a record number of complaints. The Duchess herself also filed a complaint. Morgan remained defiant despite the criticism.
March 2021: Departure from Good Morning Britain
In March 2021, Piers Morgan left Good Morning Britain after an on-air dispute regarding his comments about Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey. He expressed doubt about her claims of mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. The mental health charity Mind criticized his remarks, and ITV's CEO defended the Duchess.
March 2021: Leaves Good Morning Britain After Meghan Markle Interview Criticism
Piers Morgan left "Good Morning Britain" following his controversial remarks about Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
March 2021: Departure from Good Morning Britain
Piers Morgan left "Good Morning Britain" in March 2021 following controversial remarks about Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey and an on-air dispute with Alex Beresford.
July 2021: COVID-19 diagnosis
On July 24, 2021, Piers Morgan announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 following the Euro 2020 final, despite being fully vaccinated. He reported experiencing strong symptoms.
September 2021: Ofcom Clears ITV, Criticizes Morgan
In September 2021, Ofcom cleared ITV of any wrongdoing in the Piers Morgan case but criticized his "apparent disregard" for the topic of suicide. The ruling was described as a victory for free speech, with Morgan celebrating it.
September 2021: TalkTV announcement
In September 2021, News UK announced that Piers Morgan would be joining their new channel, TalkTV, which would launch in 2022.
2021: Leaves Good Morning Britain
Piers Morgan left "Good Morning Britain" in 2021.
April 2022: Piers Morgan Uncensored launch
Piers Morgan launched his new show, "Piers Morgan Uncensored", on TalkTV in April 2022. The first episodes featured an interview with Donald Trump. However, viewership declined significantly within the first week.
November 2022: Interview with Cristiano Ronaldo
Piers Morgan interviewed Cristiano Ronaldo in November 2022. This interview later won him multiple awards.
2022: Piers Morgan Uncensored Begins
Piers Morgan began hosting "Piers Morgan Uncensored" on TalkTV in 2022.
March 2023: British Sports Journalism 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 conducted in November 2022.
June 2023: TRIC Award Win
In June 2023, Piers Morgan won the TRIC Award for Interview of the Year for his interview with Cristiano Ronaldo.
June 2023: Prince Harry's Accusations
In June 2023, Prince Harry accused Piers Morgan of phone hacking and orchestrating a campaign against him and Meghan Markle.
November 2023: Naming of Royals in Piers Morgan Uncensored Show
On November 29, 2023, Piers Morgan revealed the names of two British royals who allegedly discussed Meghan Markle's baby's skin color. The information came to light during Morgan's show "Piers Morgan Uncensored" and resulted in potential legal action from the royal family.
December 2023: Prince Harry Awarded Damages
On December 15, 2023, Prince Harry was awarded damages against MGN for phone hacking, with the judge stating Morgan knew about and was involved in the practice.
2023: Implicated in Phone Hacking Scandal
In 2023, a court case found evidence suggesting Piers Morgan was aware of phone hacking activities during his time as editor.
2024: Portrayal in Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story
In the 2024 BBC miniseries "Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story," Piers Morgan was portrayed by actor Robert Glenister.
2024: Leaves TalkTV
Piers Morgan departed from TalkTV and moved his show "Piers Morgan Uncensored" to YouTube in 2024.