Piers Morgan Announces Official CNN Exit, Says It's to Time to Try "Pastures New"

CNN and the British journalist are parting ways after four years together

By Chris Harnick Sep 02, 2014 4:03 PMTags
Piers Morgan TonightCNN

It's official: Piers Morgan and CNN are done. The host took to Twitter to confirm he was leaving the news network.

"BREAKING NEWS: I am no longer a @CNN employee. I was offered a new 2-year deal by @CNN boss Jeff Zucker to host 40 big interview 'specials,'" he tweeted. "But after considerable thought, I decided not to accept it—and to try pastures new. I had a fantastic time in my 4 years @CNN and have huge respect for Jeff & all the people who work there. Great company, great network."

He continued his series of tweets with a barb at the National Rifle Association. "I wouldn't crack the champagne open too quickly thought, @NRA—I haven't finished with you lot yet. If I'm to be remembered for anything at @CNN—I'd like it to be this," he tweeted with a link to the below video.

Morgan hosted Piers Morgan Live (also known as Piers Morgan Tonight) on CNN from 2011 to 2014. He replaced Larry King in the prime-time slot. The show was canceled in early 2014 with low ratings sighted as the reason.  At the time of the show's cancellation, Morgan confirmed he and Zucker were discussing a new role for him on the network, but as he shared today on Twitter, that didn't pan out.

Morgan, a journalist, was also a reality TV fixture for a time. He appeared as a judge on Britain's Got Talent, America's Got Talent and won his season of The Celebrity Apprentice.