THROWDOWN
Furious Piers Morgan bets MP Andrew Bridgen £10k that he won’t be sacked after he said he ‘won’t be at GMB by Christmas’
PIERS Morgan has furiously challenged Andrew Bridgen to a £10,000 bet after the MP suggested the presenter would be sacked before Christmas.
The Good Morning Britain presenter called the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire out on today's show for saying that he would bet Piers wouldn't be in his job by Christmas.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
4
Following his appearance on Good Morning Britain the MP went on TalkRadio to bemoan his treatment and said: “I’ll have a little bet he won’t be fronting that programme by Christmas.”
Today Piers took him up on his offer and offered him the £10k bet.
He said: “As for the bet, I think I’ll still be here until Christmas, I’m contracted until the end of next year so I think it’s quite likely.
“So why don’t we have a bet for charity, £10,000, put your money where your mouth is. We can put it to a charity of your choice or mine whoever pays up so if you’re prepared to match your billy big balls talk on TalkRadio with hard cash then I’m here. If not - pipe down.”
Piers has been a vocal critic of the Government's handling of the pandemic crisis which has so far claimed more than 33,186 British lives.
A total of 229,705 have now tested positive for the bug across Britain.
It comes as Ofcom received hundreds of complaints about the clash from the episode.
The TV watchdog revealed 281 people viewers objected to Monday's show, where the 55-year-old presenter launched a tirade after being accused by the backbencher of a “diatribe" against Boris Johnson.
Returning after a week off due to a coronavirus scare, Piers asked if he was allowed to visit two of his adult sons if he stuck to social distancing rules.
Andrew Bridgen replied: “As far as I would be concerned, I do not speak for the Government, as long as you maintain social distancing in what you do.”
The answer prompted an angry response from Piers, who claimed it was “completely against the new rules”.
He said: “You are a Conservative Member of Parliament, who thinks you know exactly what Boris Johnson has been saying, and you just told me to do something I’m not allowed to do.
4
“So this is the problem isn’t it? There is no clarity. It’s a load of flannel, talking about controlling the virus.
"You as a leading, high-profile Conservative politician haven’t got a clue about what these rules actually mean, and you’re an MP. You’re part of this.”
Piers added: “We’ve had no PPE, the NHS frontline workers account workers, that’s why 200 of them have died. It’s an absolute national disgrace.
“And when you come up and say: ‘I heard your diatribe against Boris Johnson.’ The diatribe is because so many people have died, and so many people are continuing to die”.
4
Some viewers described the interview as a savaging, with one tweeting that they witnessed "another incompetent MP get utterly humiliated".
Piers has been an outspoken critic of the Government's coronavirus approach, and he has accused cabinet ministers of refusing to be interviewed by him on GMB in recent days.
Last month, the star was cleared by Ofcom after 4,000 complaints over his "combative" interviews with care minister Helen Whately and health secretary Matt Hancock.
The confrontation with Andrew Brigden came the day after the prime minister unveiled a shift in the rules around coronavirus, urging Brits to get back to work if they can't from home.
4
Most read in TV & Showbiz
He also said that Brits would be allowed to sunbathe in parks and play unlimited sport - and can go on day trips.
The 55-year-old added that anyone coming into the country by air would be forced to quarantine and said schools will also now start going back from June - if the infection level is low enough.
Johnson also announced he would hike up fines for people who break the rules from £60 to £100 - up to a max of £3,200 for multiple offenders.
However, despite the gradual lifting of lockdown rules, he warned that pubs, cinemas and mass gatherings would be off the cards for months to come.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun's Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, .
To follow us on Facebook, simply .
Get Britain's best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day - .
Furious Piers Morgan slams 'disgraceful' government for boycotting GMB and claims they don't care about viewers' lives
Topics