Entertainment

Piers Morgan: Trump has invited me to White House to interview him again

The Good Morning Britain host said exclusive interviews like his with the US President had helped the show reach a recent ratings high.
The Good Morning Britain host said exclusive interviews like his with the US President had helped the show reach a recent ratings high. The Good Morning Britain host said exclusive interviews like his with the US President had helped the show reach a recent ratings high.

Piers Morgan has said Donald Trump invited him to the White House to interview him while the pair took a trip on Air Force One.

The Good Morning Britain (GMB) host had the first international interview with Mr Trump as president at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January last year.

Morgan, 54, told the Press Association he was “working on” a follow-up “long-form” interview which he planned to hold inside the White House.

Donald Trump comments
Donald Trump comments Donald Trump extended an invitation to Morgan (Brian Lawless/PA)

He said: “The last time I saw him was on Air Force One (the aircraft used by the US president), and he said I could come to the White House and do the next one there.

“I imagine the next time you will see me pop up – which I know will bring huge joy to people, especially my journalistic rivals who never get him – is probably at the White House.

“That’s what I am working on.”

He added that he expected the interview to “straddle” a host of publications including GMB, ITV, MailOnline and the Mail on Sunday.

Asked what viewers should expect from their next meeting, Morgan replied: “I think another long-form interview, yes.”

Morgan met President Trump in 2008 when he appeared as a competitor on the celebrity version of The Apprentice in the US, which he went on to win.

Donald Trump visit to UK
Donald Trump visit to UK Donald Trump and Melania exit Air Force One (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The presenter has previously said he is a friend of the president, but last year aired his disagreement with President Trump’s ban on immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries.

Morgan attributed exclusive interviews such as those with President Trump to the success of GMB, which on Monday saw its highest ratings share ever.

At 6.30am, 33% of viewers were watching GMB while 41% tuned in to BBC One, with GMB having an average of 25.3% across a 2.5 hour slot.

The ITV daytime show’s ratings are up 10% on the same period last year, and the show this year received two Bafta nominations for best news coverage for their piece on knife crime and an interview with Thomas Markle.