Piers Morgan has dismissed claims that a guest on his supposedly “Uncensored” show was briefed by producers on what not to say on air.
Earlier this week, the divisive host was joined by comedian and political activist Kate Smurthwaite for a discussion about one of Piers’ favourite topics (yes, that would be the Duchess of Sussex).
However, after her segment on Piers Morgan Uncensored aired, Kate said that her appearance on the show wasn’t quite as uncensored as its name suggested.
She tweeted on Thursday night: “Today in #MyLifeIsWeird I’m sat in the green room for Piers Morgan UNCENSORED (the producer has just told me at least three things NOT to say on air LOL #ActuallyCensored) when the other guest arrives who will be on for the second half of the show. It’s JOAN COLLINS…”
Piers soon contested this version of events, tweeting back 45 minutes later: “I just checked and nobody tried to censor you – we don’t censor guests, that’s the point of the show.”
“Yes I was,” Kate then responded. “Great, have me on again and I’ll say all the things I was told not to say.”
In a follow-up column in The Mirror, Kate claimed: “The producer pencilled the slot into my diary last week and rang in the morning to let me know what topics would be discussed and ask what my views were. Standard procedure.
“After their morning meeting, I had a confirmation call too. They were looking forward to having me on. The only thing was… they’d like me not to mention a couple of the things I had said in our earlier conversation. A remarkable request for a show that is literally called ‘uncensored’.”
She continued: “They didn’t want me to get ‘too personal’ with Morgan. They didn’t want me criticising or seeking to explain his ‘vindictive obsession’ with [Meghan Markle].
“The main thing they didn’t want me to say was: ‘You know that no matter how many hours you spend slagging her off, she’s still not going to shag you?’. True. Funny. Insightful. What’s not to love?”
Referring to Piers’ tweet, Kate added: “If, as he has subsequently claimed on Twitter, there was no effort to censor me, his producers would not have warned me beforehand to not get ‘too personal’ with Piers when discussing the topic of Meghan.
“I’d like to discuss his childish obsession with Markle. And then whilst I’m about it his nasty attitude towards some other celebrities and the way that the right wing media will cry censorship when it suits them and participate in the exact same thing when it doesn’t. I’ve got plenty to say.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Talk TV for comment.
Piers Morgan Uncensored debuted last month with a much-publicised interview with former US president Donald Trump.
In the weeks since its launch, reports have claimed that viewing figures for Piers’ show have taken a nosedive, with other programmes on Talk TV reportedly recording no audience at all at some points.
Amid reports of struggling ratings at Talk TV, Piers previously tweeted: “Linear TV [is] increasingly irrelevant [compared] to total eyeball potential for a global show like this, especially with younger viewers who don’t really watch TV any more.”
However, this somewhat contradicts what he repeatedly used to say during his tenure on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, when he would often goad BBC rival Dan Walker over their respective viewing figures.
Piers Morgan Uncensored certainly lived up to its name last month, when one interviewee dropped the C-bomb live on air while referring to the divisive host.