PEOPLE IN POWER – IT’S MY JOB TO HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE
Piers Morgan is a busy man with a one-off documentary Serial Killer and another dose of Life Stories both about to air. He talks to Sherna Noah about pay packets, early alarm calls, his pin-up Pamela Anderson and Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid
HE IS the Marmite of breakfast television – loved and loathed in equal measure. But Piers Morgan prefers to compare his appearance on Good Morning Britain to a heroic outlaw than a savoury spread.
“People who deserve my empathy, usually the non-famous, the non-powerful, often get it,” he says.
“But people in positions of power – my job is to hold their feet to the fire. And i make no bones about that.
“i like to think of it as Robin Hood television,” he adds.
it is 10am when i chat to Piers at iTV’s South Bank headquarters, where he is tucking into a second breakfast. But he is halfway through his day already, thanks to his breakfast show job alongside Susanna Reid. When he first joined the programme in late 2015, he found the early alarm call too gruelling. “i used to get up at 3.45am and that was killing me. Then they let me come in a bit later,” the former Britain’s Got Talent judge says. “Now i’m up at 4.55am and i’m in by 5.30am and that’s much more bearable.” We are here to talk about two other shows Piers has recorded for iTV – Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, featuring interviews with Pamela Anderson and Jim Davidson – and his Serial Killer programme. Piers has a soft spot for Anderson, who he describes as a “modern day Brigitte Bardot sex symbol”.
“Pamela has always been one of my pin-ups, and i think probably for any man of my age,” he says. “Pamela in that swimsuit in Baywatch – i know you probably can’t say this these days, but she was fabulous.”
Comedian Davidson is “heartfelt” and “emotional” about his life, Piers says. The former Generation Game host was arrested under Operation Yewtree on accusations of historic sex abuse before charges were dropped. “He’s been through a real roller-coaster life and he talks very candidly about it,” Piers adds.
He would love to book two Dames – Judi Dench and Helen Mirren – on the show, but Piers would never put himself through the process.
“i just don’t like emoting about my life,” he says. “it’s stiff upper lip stuff ... it’s just not my bag.”
On interviewing US prisoners for Serial Killer with Piers Morgan, he said: “There was a moment when the guard drifted away and i suddenly thought, he’s getting angry,” he says of one such encounter.
“i thought, what if he actually jumps for me? This is a guy who strangled people.”
When the salaries of top BBC talent were revealed, Piers joked that he earned £20 million.
Today he is keeping his iTV pay packet secret and says he does not know what Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna earns.
“The BBC has clearly been treating women in a very unfair way, in terms of salary and pay, and everyone can see that now.
“i honestly have no idea what Susanna is paid,” he says.
“We don’t talk about our salaries. Mine’s complicated because i do lots of different shows. But i don’t think that either of us feel like we’re being underpaid.”
Serial Killer With Piers Morgan airs on iTV on Thursday March 1 at 9pm, and Piers Morgan’s Life Stories airs on iTV on Saturday March 3 at 9.50pm