The former Daily Mirror editor and Good Morning Britain presenter has bought the Uncensored brand through his production company Wake Up Productions
Piers Morgan is set to bid farewell to Rupert Murdoch’s media empire News UK, focusing his energy on expanding his YouTube presence.
The broadcaster, 59, previously at the helm of both the Daily Mirror and Murdoch’s News Of The World, has clinched a deal providing him ownership over his Uncensored media brand. Snapping up the brand, which boasts 3.6 million loyal YouTube followers, through his production outfit Wake Up Productions, Morgan sets his sights on amplifying the channel’s success in the US and further afield.
This move cements an arrangement that allows News UK, home to heavyweight publications like The Sun and The Times and key player behind Times Radio and Talk TV, to continue reaping a cut of the Uncensored show’s revenues until 2029.
Morgan enthused: “I have had a great time working back at News and am delighted that we will continue to be partners. Owning the brand allows my team and I the freedom to focus exclusively on building Uncensored into a standalone business, editorially and commercially, and in time, widening it from just me and my content.”
He highlighted the growing clout of YouTube following the recent US election, noting: “It’s clear from the recent US election that YouTube is an increasingly powerful and influential media platform, and Uncensored is one of the fastest-growing shows on it in the world.”
Morgan’s comeback to News UK occurred in 2021 with contributions to The Sun and the New York Post. His Talk TV-broadcasted show Uncensored featured high-profile interviews with the likes of Donald Trump, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kevin Spacey.
He previously graced the screen as a presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain until his departure amid a furore sparked by remarks he made about Meghan Markle. Scott Taunton, president of News UK subsidiary News Broadcasting, commented on the arrangement, “gives Piers flexibility to grow his own business”.
He elaborated, “The changing media landscape means we have to be innovative about how we partner with superstar journalists and connect them to global audiences via our established brands.”
