Piers Morgan isn’t one to bite back his thoughts out of politeness – a character trait that has sparked many a celebrity quarrel.
From banning Lily Allen from Good Morning Britain to invoking the wrath of Little Mix, the newspaper editor turned TV presenter loves a good war of words.
Although it doesn’t always stop at words. One beef with former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson got so out of control that the latter punched Piers in the face at the Press Awards.
Here’s a look at his most savage showbiz spats and the incidents that sparked them…
Piers Morgan isn’t one to shy away from a celebrity spat (Image: Getty Images for Extra)
Little Mix
Piers Morgan took major umbrage when the band posed naked covered in slur words for their 2019 single, Strip.
“What is empowering about this?” he raged on Good Morning Britain.
“Get your kit off, airbrush yourself to within an inch of your lives…”
But the girls were not to be trifled with, and appearing on Nick Grimshaw’s Radio 1 show, Jesy Nelson let rip when asked if she cared.
“Of course [not]. He’s a silly t**t,” she clapped back.
Little Mix weren’t moved by Piers’ outburst (Image: Little Mix)
But it only fuelled Piers further with the host demanding a public apology.
“Oh Jesy you let yourself down, love,” he said.
“When you’re doing a campaign against doing rude words, it’s probably better not to use rude words on the radio about me.
“I apologise to anyone who is offended by the language Little Mix used about me.
“Little Mix, I think you need to make a public apology during your campaign to root out bad language from public discourse.”
Ariana Grande
Ariana came out fighting for Little Mix (Image: Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
On the back of the Little Mix feud, Ariana weighed in, slamming Piers for “criticising young, beautiful, successful women for everything they do.”
“I use my talent AND my sexuality all the time because I choose to,” she wrote in a tweet backing the girls.
“Women can be sexual AND talented. Naked and dignified. It’s our choice. And we keep fighting until people understand. I say this with all due respect but thank you, next.”
So the following year, Ariana’s fans were raging when it emerged she had sat down for a tête-à-tête with her nemesis after bumping into him at a restaurant.
“Thank u for a great night @ArianaGrande x” Piers schmoozed before Ariana silenced the haters by explaining she’d tried – and failed – to change his perspective.
“Do people think I succeeded and that I’m some kind of f***ing miracle worker?” she tweeted.
“f*** no. are u all insane? Bruh I just wanted to try. And speak my mind. I try my best to have faith in people. As hard as it is.”
Jeremy Clarkson
Piers and Jeremy Clarkson haven’t always seen eye-to-eye (Image: REX/Shutterstock)
The two journalists first started feuding in 2000 when then-Mirror editor Piers published a picture of Clarkson with a female work colleague – although Jeremy denied any wrongdoing.
In retaliation, Jeremy allegedly poured a glass of water over Piers during the celeb-packed last flight of Concorde in 2003.
But things turned really nasty at the British Press Awards the following year when the men came head-to-head in a heated exchange which ended with Jeremy punching Piers in the face.
The men made peace over a drinking session (Image: TWITTER)
“I think it’s fair to say he was a little inebriated. I’ve frankly taken worse batterings from my three-year-old son,” Piers sniped to The Guardian the following day, insisting he didn’t retaliate because he was worried about losing his job.
And a resigned Jeremy added: “He’s won really. This is just one in a long line of clashes. We’ll have to kiss and make up.”
Which they did in the summer of 2014 when the duo came to a truce over a five-hour drinking session.
Denise Welch
Denise Welch has stepped back from Twitter after her spat with Piers (Image: Instagram)
Denise is the latest star to lock horns with Piers, this time over her views on Covid-19.
The Loose Women host – who has fought a long battle with depression and anxiety – had accused the press of ‘scaremongering’ with its reporting of the pandemic.
And it was like a red rag to a bull for Piers.
“Memo to all Covidiot deniers & sceptics, and those who only want to hear ‘positive news’ about the pandemic even when the news is concerning: stop following me & follow Professor Denise Welch instead,” he sniped.
“Your mind-numbingly complacent ignorance is damaging my mental health.”
Denise didn’t take it lying down though, clapping back: “To those who would like to live in abject fear of a virus that currently has a huge survival rate, please follow prophet of doom Piers Morgan.
“The saviour of all those living with anxiety & mental health issues.”
Last night, in an emotional message she announced she was quitting Twitter for the sake of her own mental health.
Andi Peters
Andi and Piers are no strangers to an awkward clash (Image: ITV)
Piers and former Broom Cupboard presenter Andi regularly butt heads on Good Morning Britain.
One row escalated quickly after Piers accused fitness buff Andi of ‘fat-shaming’ him. Clutching a tray of baked goods on the morning show, Andi joked: “I wonder who has eaten all the pies in this studio,” before eye-balling Piers.
The former editor wasn’t impressed. “You know what mate, fat-shaming is really not acceptable anymore in the workplace,” he hit back before trying to turn the tables on his co-star.
Piers accused Andi of ‘fat-shaming’ him (Image: ITV)
“If I was going to do that fat thing I wouldn’t wear such a tight top,”
Pointing out that he was ripped and ready to roll, Andi told him to google ‘Andi Peters Men’s Health’
Piers replied: “Mate, no one Googles Andi Peters let alone Andi Peters Men’s Health.”
Lily Allen
There’s no love lost between Lily and Piers (Image: lilyallen/Instagram)
Over the years the equally outspoken pair have clashed over everything from their opinions on Donald Trump to The Women’s March.
Things got particularly nasty in 2017 when Lily took to Twitter to urge fans to, “Please ignore Piers, [Katie] Hopkins, they thrive on hate. Profit even. Don’t engage. #moreincommon”
He quickly retaliated: “Pipe down @lilyallen, you ridiculous virtue-signalling, PC-crazed, attention-seeking, hate-stirring, deluded clown.”
Piers slammed Lily in a savage outburst (Image: Twitter)
Then in 2018 he cancelled Lily’s GMB interview after they got into yet another Twitter spat about a gun necklace she was wearing.
“Hi Lily, I told the team I wouldn’t interview you until or if your new album is a hit. So, probably never. Sorry to disappoint, love Piers,” he announced on social media.
And when Lily posted a video of herself crying after the Conservatives were voted in at the 2019 General Election and accused the country of ‘racism and misogyny’ he was equally scathing, telling her to ‘f*** off’ out of the UK if she didn’t like it.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
