Piers Morgan is a free agent. The TV talk show host confirmed he is no longer a CNN employee via a Tweet sent Tuesday morning.
Morgan’s show ended in March, though his contract just expired on Labor Day.
The former British newspaper executive says he turned down a two year deal to conduct 40 specials on CNN, though money may have been a factor in his decision to part ways with the network.
CNN, part of Time Warner’s Turner Broadcasting unit, has been hit by cutbacks including the need to cut costs and pink slip staff.
CNN boss, Jeff Zucker, said the company would be doing less, as a result of having less resources. Sources told The Post that CNN would be letting go of contributors that didn’t have a discernible impact on ratings.
Piers Morgan Live took over from Larry King’s 9pm ET slot in September 2010. The former British tabloid editor conducted primarily celebrity interviews but also found himself anchoring live news from the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton to the Arab Spring demonstrations. He was also subject of a petition to deport him from the country for some of his less popular views.
Morgan is known for both his love of sports and his hatred of gun rights group, NRA. Morgan tweeted today: “I wouldn’t crack the champagne open too quickly though, @NRA — I haven’t finished with you lot yet.”
The newsman is a big fan of Twitter and has a photo of himself with the President and Mrs.Obama on his page. He has 4.2 million followers.
News of his departure prompted a torrent of hilarity on Twitter, with users tweeting unlikely vacancies he might fill, such as an assistant at the LA Kings.