Piers Morgan brands John Cleese ‘hypocrite’ in angry clash over Jimmy Kimmel

Morgan clashed with the ‘Fawlty Towers’ comedian online

Piers Morgan has clashed with John Cleese over a disagreement about Jimmy Kimmel, who was suspended from his talk show for remarks on the shooting of Charlie Kirk.

Monty Python star Cleese hit out at Morgan on Thursday (18 September) when the broadcaster accused suspended US late-night host Kimmel of lying about Kirk’s suspected gunman in comments that saw his show indefinitely pulled from TV schedules.

“This from Piers Morgan. who has made a fortune working for Rupert Murdoch,” Cleese wrote on X/Twitter.

Morgan branded Fawlty Towers comedian Cleese “a flaming old hypocrite” after he blasted Morgan for his association with the media empire leader.

Morgan replied: “You took Rupert’s money too, you flaming old hypocrite. I’m just proud of it.”

The Independent has contacted Cleese for comment. The actor previously said he has “chosen not to work” with Murdoch over the years.

Piers Morgan hits back at John Cleese’s criticism on social media (X/Twitter)

The pair have traded blows before, with Cleese calling Morgan “lazy” and “sloppy” in January 2025.

Cleese was weighing in on a row between Morgan and actor Hugh Grant over Murdoch when he called the Notting Hill actor a “hypocrite”, claiming the actor had taken “many millions of pounds” from Murdoch to make films for him.

Grant fired back 15 minutes later: “Bulls***. The last time I worked for a Murdoch-owned company was in 1994. Which was long before I knew anything about his papers’ methods.

“Since then, I have turned down every single job offer emanating from a Murdoch-owned company.”

Cleese addressed the row on X, writing that the argument “clearly illustrates the difference between a well-educated mind and a lazy, sloppy tabloid one”.

(Getty Images)

He added: “NB: the man who is defending Murdoch has taken millions from him. Hugh and I choose not to work for him.”

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Morgan wrote back: “I’m bemused. You say you’ve chosen not to work for Rupert Murdoch, yet you starred in The Day The Earth Stood Still in 2008, which was produced by 20th Century Fox, owned at the time by... Rupert Murdoch. Were you being lazy, sloppy, or just a lying hypocrite?”