Piers Morgan reveals 3am booze session with co-host Susanna Reid
- Good Morning Britain star says his co-host Susanna Reid is an 'absolute fiend' when they go out partying
- Piers revealed the pair got 'absolutely wrecked' on a night out at the Groucho Club
He’s arguably the most confrontational, straight-talking broadcaster on British TV, so it’s fitting that the first guest on Piers Morgan’s latest Life Stories series is even more polarising than he is: Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage.
“The reaction to the announcement about Farage has been insane,” laughs the 51-year-old Good Morning Britain host.
“He is the most compelling character in British politics – a pint-drinking, fag-smoking straight talker who is the antithesis of everything public figures should be.
People will be interested in the bout between us as neither of us is a shrinking violet. It will be game on.”
Piers won’t pull any punches during the chat – but he is a fan of the former Ukip leader.
“I like Farage personally,” says Piers, who will also talk to pop icon Boy George, actor Nigel Havers and Bee Gee Barry Gibb this series.
“We share a love of cricket and real ale. I may not have voted for Brexit myself, but we have to accept it. Suck it up. We can’t be spending too much energy squealing about it like some people are, saying: ‘Isn’t life unfair?’ Get over it.”
Does he hope to, at least, turn Farage into a sobbing wreck on camera?
“I don’t ever look to get tears out of people,” insists the dad of four.
“But it would be quite a moment if Nigel Farage got emotional on television because we have never seen that side of him. What’s he really like? Has he ever had his heart broken? I never know what will make people cry – often it’s something out of nowhere.
"His mates are betting on whether I can make him cry, and it’s up to five grand so far, but my goal is to show his more human side.”
One topic that is sure to come up is the pair’s mutual admiration for the new President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Piers has been a supporter of the billionaire ever since Trump crowned him winner of The Celebrity Apprentice in the US back in 2008, while Nigel was the first Brit to meet Trump following his electoral win.
“Farage thinks he has a better relationship with Trump than I do, but Trump only follows one Brit on Twitter and it ain’t Farage, it’s Morgan,” boasts Piers.
“I wasn’t p**sed off that Nigel beat me to meeting Trump after the election because Trump only gave two
UK interviews during his campaign, and they were both to me on Good Morning Britain.
“Trump is a good friend. I have interviewed him more than 30 times and I have spoken to him on the phone every three or four weeks for years.
"When I have had tough times, he has called me and we talk about personal stuff. Even when I left [US news channel] CNN and had no immediate way of helping him in terms of media exposure in America, he stayed in touch.
"When I get a new job, like on GMB, a handwritten note from Donald Trump arrives. If you’re loyal and respectful to him, he will be incredibly loyal and incredibly respectful back.
“I once had a US book launch and Trump’s PA told me he couldn’t make it, but halfway through, the doors opened and there was Trump and [his wife] Melania.
"He said: ‘I changed my schedule, I wasn’t going to miss my champ’s book launch!’ He calls me ‘Champ’ because I won Celebrity Apprentice. It’s cool having the US President call you Champ.
“Yeah, he can be brash, cocky and occasionally offensive, but I look in the mirror every morning and see someone not entirely dissimilar.
He is just strange in that he has never had a drink, drug or cigarette in his life.
I am sure that I will be seeing the President in the White House before too long…”
It’s at this point that Piers drops a fascinating insight into how Trump communicates with him.
“He doesn’t use email himself, so I email his office and they print it out for him,” he reveals.
“Then he will write a handwritten reply on the email and his office will scan it for him and email it back. I have had two in the last week.”
Piers came very close to getting Trump into the Life Stories hot seat – seven years ago.
“He potentially agreed to do it and ITV said no,” he grins. “They didn’t think there was a big enough demand for him on British TV.
"I don’t think I even told Trump that because it would have dented his ego too much. I’d love to get him now, but you won’t get the President of the USA, unfortunately.”
With friends in such high political places – and, of course, his relentless tweets on the subject (“My wife [Celia] does tell me off for being on social media too much”) – does the former newspaper editor harbour political ambitions himself?
“No. No. No. No. No. Not in a million years!” he says, without hesitation.
“I could do it, I just don’t want to do it. It’s a thankless job. I’d like to see more business figures follow in Trump’s footsteps into politics. Someone like Alan Sugar would make a great prime minister.
"He is far more like Trump than he’d admit. He doesn’t care about offending people if he believes in something, he is tough and would run the country like a company. Trump has proven you don’t have to be a career politician any more.”
For now, Piers is focused on his TV career, and although his two-year contract with GMB is up in November, he’s in no rush to leave.
“I always say I will stick around if it’s working and, so far, I am loving it,” he explains. “We hardly ever get negative comments any more.”
Piers has certainly generated lots of headlines during his 14-month sofa stint.
He recently made a guest, Sarah Bryan, cry after she billed the mum of one of her three-year-old daughter’s friends £325 for damaged designer boots.
“I don’t regret that at all – she was a real chancer and publicity-mad,” he insists.
“Susanna [Reid] didn’t like it – she thought the woman was vulnerable and thinks families watching at home find it awkward if somebody is crying.
"But it fell to me to call her out on that nonsense. I’m not Mr Perfect, but I’m not afraid to look people in the eye and say: ‘You suck… and this is why.’ Not many people do that on TV these days. The talent shows are all so nice. People want a host who isn’t afraid to upset someone – that’s why they watch me in the morning!”
But Piers admits Susanna does often get “genuinely p**sed off” with him.
“Sometimes I get the headmistress speech from her, like: ‘Piers, you went too far!’” he says, with a glint in his eye. “I just nod along, say: ‘Sorry, Miss!’ and then do exactly the same thing the next day.”
Despite these occasional clashes, Piers insists the pair are real pals, and lets slip that Susanna isn’t always the well-behaved one.
“She doesn’t really drink much, but when she does, she is an absolute fiend and a dangerous drinking partner,” he reveals, gleefully.
“We had a night out at [London private members’ bar] Groucho Club and got absolutely wrecked. We were on the balcony at 3am making so much noise, we got ordered to go back inside.
"I think that’s the first time in the club’s history that anyone’s been thrown in rather than out.”
NEW! Piers Morgan’s Life Stories Friday 9pm ITV