Piers Morgan has staged an elaborate Twitter prank, pretending he was about to be announced as a replacement for Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson.
The car show presenter was confirmed not to have had his contract renewed at the BBC in a statement released this afternoon, but when Piers discovered the news was due to drop at 2pm, he couldn’t resist the chance to wind up his TV rival.
Jeremy was under investigation by the BBC following a ‘fracas’ in which he assaulted a Top Gear producer in a row over food.
Former tabloid newspaper editor Piers is Jeremy’s long-time sparring partner, with the pair once coming to blows at an awards dinner.
Before the BBC’s announcement, Piers tweeted:
In ten minutes, I will be announced as the temporary replacement for a very popular TV presenter in the UK.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
No, no, it's 100% true. I really am standing in for a popular male TV presenter on a big UK show. Start filming in 3 weeks.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
I suspect the announcement, at 2pm UK time, will shock, delight & dismay everyone in equal measure. But that's showbiz.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
I'll be juggling my new presenting duties while I tape a new series of Life Stories. Announcement in 3 minutes.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
However, his announcement revealed he would in fact be joining Susanna Reid for Good Morning Britain:
I'm guest-hosting @GMB with @susannareid100 for a week from April 13. So you will all get to wake up with me, you lucky devils.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
This doesn't prevent me doing Top Gear as well, obviously. @GMB @ITV
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
Piers couldn’t resist one more jibe at Jeremy:
If he'd stuck to just punching me, he'd have been fine. #Clarkson
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 25, 2015
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