Piers Morgan's life – childhood tragedy, 'horrendous' divorce and public rows with son

It has been one year since Piers Morgan famously walked out, live on air, from ITV daytime programme Good Morning Britain.

Piers, 56, quit his Good Morning Britain job in March last year after dramatically storming off during an argument about Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Since then he has announced plans to make a TV comeback with a new programme on TalkTV, which will soon launch on Sky News Australia.

He has since stated that the programme will launch in the next few weeks, and that it will celebrate “the right of everyone to have an opinion.”

Ahead of the show’s launch and one year on since his dramatic Good Morning Britain exit, Daily Star takes a look at Piers Morgans’ life away from the cameras – which has been just as interesting.

Childhood tragedy and Lord Sugar ‘feud’

Piers was born on March 30, 1965 to his parents Gabrielle O’ Meara, and Vincent O’ Meara, who was an Irish dentist.

However, his happy childhood was turned upside down when his father sadly died when Piers was 11 months old.

His mother Gabrielle later went on to marry Glynne Pughe-Morgan, with Piers taking on his now famous surname and calling Glynne dad.

Piers has a close bond with his parents, and his mother has often gushed about her journalist son during interviews.

She also defended him when Lord Sugar made a scathing online comment about Piers in 2016, following an interview where Piers revealed that his mum is often asked if she would like to apologise for her son.

In a tweet, Lord Sugar said: “Traditionally at birth doctors slap a babies bum. When @piersmorgan was born doctor took one look and slapped his mum.”

However, Piers’ mum Gabrielle soon came to her son’s defense, replying to Lord Sugar: “I am the proudest Mum in the world. The only Journalist doing his job, as you will find out at the end of all this.”

She is not the only member of the Morgan clan to become embroiled in Piers’ feud with Lord Sugar however.

His brother James, who is an Army Officer, also hit back at the famous entrepreneur after Lord Sugar commented on Piers Morgan’s interview style.

In a tweet, James said: “I started following this illiterate old clown after he started following me, but I really can’t take any more of his moronic diatribe.

“Goodbye @Lord_Sugar, you really are a staggeringly stupid, ignorant and unpleasant little man.”

First wife and ‘Horrendous’ divorce

Piers Morgan married his first wife Marion Shalloe, who is a nurse, in 1991.

They welcomed three children together, but nine years later, their marriage is reported to have started to crumble in 2000, when rumours of a romance with another Showbiz journalist began to circulate.

However, Piers has never publicly commented on the rumours, telling The Times in 2010: “I’m not going into it.”

Eight years later though, Piers and Marion filed for divorce, with Marion later going on to date News Of The World Showbiz Editor Rav Singh.

Speaking about his divorce in The Daily Mail, Piers described it as a ‘horrendous’ experience, saying: “I’ve only recently got divorced. There has to be a decent period before these things are done. The divorce was a pretty horrendous experience.

“The day Marion and I got divorced, I said, ‘You know what? We can both go away feeling awful about this, but let’s never mention it again.”

However despite the divorce, Piers has revealed that he and Marion are still on good terms with one another, saying on Good Morning Britain: “I don’t regret it because these things happen, but I’m pleased that we’ve stayed good friends, because it’s important for your kids,” he said.

“I produced three fantastic children with my ex-wife.

“The best advice I ever got was to speak to them every day – that’s when you need your ex to be very accommodating. I’ve spoken to my kids, with just a handful of exceptions, every day in the last nine years.”

Journalist wife

Following his divorce from Marion Shalloe in 2008, Piers went on to date fellow journalist and Daily Telegraph columnist Celia Walden, who is also the daughter of former Tory MP George Walden.

The couple met in 2006 after Piers interviewed her for GQ magazine, who he gushed about during the subsequent feature, saying: “She inspires equal doses of admiration, lust and fear… and is, as I write, single.

“When God created woman, he blessed Hollywood with Bardot, and Fleet Street with Walden.”

The couple married in 2010 and one year later, welcomed daughter Elise in November 2011, who is now 10 years old and who loves to attend Arsenal football matches with her famous father.

Despite being one of the most outspoken journalists on TV, Piers has revealed that at home he is quite different, telling Good Morning Britain: “We don’t really argue. Because I spend all day shouting at people so I get home and I can’t be bothered.

“Yes seriously. In 15 years I can count on three fingers the amount of proper arguments. I just can’t be bothered.

“Once that doors shut give me a glass of wine, I’m easily pleased, and also I’m always right, she’s just accepted that. I don’t want all that frenzy.”

However, Celia knows how to play a joke or two on her husband, sharing a snap of her cutting his hair during the Coronavirus lockdown, and joking that she had shaved her initials into his head.

Sharing a snap of her cutting Piers’ hair on Instagram, she said: “To wind her husband up, Celia shared the snap with her own followers, but playfully joked she had “shaved her initials” onto his head.

She said: “I don’t know what’s funnier: that he believed me when I said I could cut hair – or that I just shaved my initials into the back of his head #homehairdressing #nofoollikeafurryfool.”

Talented children

Piers Morgan has four children, including daughter Elise with wife Celia Walden, and three sons called Spencer, Albert and Stanley from his first marriage to Marion Shalloe.

His eldest son Spencer, 27, is no stranger to the spotlight and can be regularly seen on social media hanging out with some of his famous friends including Niall Horan, Mark Wright and Georgia Toffolo.

Although Spencer has clashed with his father in the past regarding Pier’s political views, his son tweeted in 2020: “I often find myself going to head to head with my Dad over his tweets and views but right now I couldn’t be more proud to be his son.

“He has continued to support and champion the vital NHS staff and the people of this country in a time where the government is failing them.”

Piers’ second eldest son Albert is also hoping to carve out a career in the spotlight too, as he is training to be an actor and has his own Independent Production Company called OneFiveFiveProductions.

Meanwhile youngest son Albert gained 3 A*s at A-Level and is keeping away from the limelight while he studies at University.

Shane Warne Bond

Piers Morgan recently paid tribute to the late Australian cricketer Shane Warne, who died on March 4, 2022 of a suspected heart attack.

In a tweet, the journalist and TV presenter said: “Absolutely devastated to hear that @ShaneWarne has died from a heart attack aged just 52.

“He was a genius cricketer, a supreme entertainer, a fantastic bloke and a great loyal friend for many years. Just gutting news. RIP Warnie, I loved every minute in your company.”

The cricketer and Piers were close friends, with Piers revealing that he was even planning a trip to see Shane in Australia.

Shane also used to play in Piers’ annual cricket match event in Sussex, where he would also sign autographs for local residents.

Speaking about their time together, Piers revealed to Daily Mail that Shane “packed more fun into his 52 years that anyone I’ve met in my entire life.

“And for all his self-confessed marital flaws, he was a brilliant loving father to his three children, a wonderful caring son to his ever-supportive parents, and a fantastically loyal, kind and generous friend.”

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk