Piers Morgan quits awards after attacks by TV world

Presenter Piers Morgan has pulled out of hosting a TV awards night after criticism of his support for Donald Trump.

The host of ITV’s Good Morning Britain said he did not want to distract from award winners.

The Royal Television Society announced Mr Morgan as presenter of its programme awards on Thursday.

But many TV figures criticised the choice, including awards judge Bonnie Greer.

On Twitter, Ms Greer said that she was “honoured to be a judge” for the awards but would decline to attend the dinner because of Mr Morgan.

The playwright, novelist and critic cited Morgan’s support of President Trump, who has attacked TV news organisations as “enemies of the American people”.

Emma Lindley, director of ITV’s My Parents Are Aliens, tweeted: “I don’t want Piers Morgan representing me or any other RTS members.”

And Adrian Lester, star of the BBC’s Undercover, responded to the news with: “WTF?”

In a statement on his Facebook page, Mr Morgan, a former newspaper editor, said he had agreed to present the awards free “for fun” but that a campaign to have him “banned” had been launched.

He said it criticised his creative credentials and suggested he did not “understand a social movement that values equality and diversity of voice”.

“Apparently, this movement does not extend to tolerating my own diverse voice,” he said.

Mr Morgan wished the nominees luck and said he did not want this “silly noise” to distract from programme makers’ achievements.