Piers Morgan: I quit GMB because I had to get up too early
... and he only went back after ‘later start’ promise
PIERS Morgan says he told bosses he was leaving Good Morning Britain – until they promised him more time in bed.
Previously he had to be there for 4am every day but his new deal allows him to arrive just minutes before the show begins at 6am.
Co-host Susanna Reid still comes in earlier but he claims it takes her longer to get ready anyway.
Piers said: “I actually quit in the summer. I said, ‘I’m out,’ because I couldn’t do it any more. Then we came to a new arrangement, which is great. I feel completely different.”
Sources suggest he got a better deal because he was attracting interest from America at the time.
The new studio start time allows him just 25 minutes to prepare for the 6-8.30am show. He gets up at 4.55 and arrives at about 5.30, which he says is “much more bearable”.
Piers added: “The only reason, really, I had to go in so early was because the female stars all have to. It takes them longer [to get ready] because they get more attention and pressure on how they look, how their hair is and everything else.
“I’m lucky. Five minutes of slap and on I go. I said, ‘Does anyone really care if I come in at 5.30 and we just have a catch-up on the phone?’ Which is what we now do.”
Piers, 52, also admitted there was some “nervousness” at ITV in the wake of the Ewan McGregor row a year ago in which the actor refused to be interviewed by him.
Talking to Radio Times, he said: “At GMB they were nervous too. They are not used to that dynamic.
“I don’t think many people have said, ‘I refuse to come on because of that vile Ben Shephard’.
“I do bring with me a certain polarising characteristic.
“That works to our benefit and occasionally we lose a guest because of it. I don’t care. ”
Serial Killer With Piers Morgan is on ITV at 9pm on Thursday, and Piers Morgan’s Life Stories begins on ITV on Saturday.
The female stars need to go in early... It takes them much longer to get ready PIERS MORGAN ON LIFE AT GOOD MORNING BRITAIN