Comedian James Acaster reacted in exaggerated outrage when presenter Lorraine Kelly revealed she had selected Piers Morgan as her “hero of 2020”.
Acaster and Kelly were appearing on The Last Leg of the Year 2020 on Channel 4, a topical comedy show reflecting on the year just passed.
During one of the episode’s segments, the cast were asked to pick the year’s “heroes”, prompting Kelly to name the former News of the World editor and Good Morning Britain presenter Morgan.
“Go f*** yourself,” said Acaster in reply.
Though laughter, Kelly then told Acaster to “stay with me”, as she explained her reasoning.
“You remember when Boris Johnson hid in a fridge rather than be interviewed by Piers Morgan? None of his cabinet ministers would come on the telly, because they were too scared.”
In the build-up to the 2019 General Election, Boris Johnson was criticised for refusing to participate in TV interviews, including one with Morgan.
“You don’t get to stop being a villain for two seconds and now you’re a hero,” shot back Acaster in response.
On social media, viewers expressed their amusement at the exchange, with one person writing that it was a “late contender for highlight of the year”.
“James Acaster’s reaction to Lorraine Kelly saying Piers Morgan was her hero of the year will live with me forever,” wrote someone else.
“Watching James Acaster losing it after Lorraine Kelly called Piers Morgan a hero has made my evening,” wrote another Twitter user. “All is not lost, folks.”
