Hugh Grant and have been embroiled in a heated exchange on social media platform X this week following the government’s definitive stance against reopening the Leveson Inquiry – and now is “doing his research”.
Grant, who has been an outspoken advocate for revisiting the inquiry into media practices, expressed his disappointment with the government’s decision to dismiss any further investigation into media behaviour in the UK.
During a recent interview on Radio 4’s flagship program Today, Defence Secretary John Healey stated firmly that there would be no introduction of a new inquiry or any new restrictions on media operations, despite the recent controversy surrounding the payment of damages by The Sun to .
Grant articulated his feelings about the situation in a moment of candour, saying, “I have some sympathy, when I’m in a generous mood, for politicians terrified of the Murdochs.”
Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN) owns The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, both of which have been at the center of numerous scandals.
John Cleese hit out at Piers Morgan today. (Image: Getty)
In response to Grant’s comments, Morgan took to X, accusing the actor of hypocrisy. He claimed that Grant had profited significantly from the Murdoch empire, alleging that he had received “many millions of pounds” for films produced under their banner.
Not one to back down, Grant quickly countered Morgan’s assertion fifteen minutes later, stating: “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.”
With this response, Grant sought to clarify his position and distance himself from any suggestions of complicity with the controversial practices associated with Murdoch’s media enterprises.
Hours later, Morgan replied: “UPDATE: Your movie Florence Foster Jenkins was distributed by Murdoch-owned (at the time) 20th Century Fox in the UK. #HypocriteANDliar.”
Don’t miss… [NEWS] [UPDATE]
Before I continue my spat with Piers Morgan I need a little time to research the difference between a memory lapse and actual perjury
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese)
Grant retaliated by saying, “That film was made for the and Pathé. My contract was with them. I have no control over which local distributor is subsequently used in various countries. Fox was just a local distributor for the UK. Keep up.”
On Saturday morning (25 January), Cleese, 85, weighed in, writing on X that the argument “clearly illustrates the difference between a well-educated mind and a lazy, sloppy tabloid one”.
He added: “NB: the man who is defending Murdoch has taken millions from him. Hugh and I choose not to work for him.”
This morning, Cleese indicated he would not be stepping down from the argument anytime soon, writing: “Before I continue my spat with , I need a little time to research the difference between a memory lapse and actual perjury.”
Earlier this month, it was officially announced that , the former editor of the News of the World, will depart from his role at News UK, which media mogul Rupert Murdoch owns.
Morgan’s decision comes as he seeks to concentrate more on the growth and development of his YouTube channel. His program, Uncensored, has gained notable traction since it was launched on TalkTV in 2022. It currently boasts an impressive subscriber count of approximately 3.6 million.
In conjunction with this transition, Morgan has negotiated a new deal with News UK that grants him full ownership of the Uncensored brand through his production company, Wake Up Productions.
This move signifies a new chapter in Morgan’s career and underscores his ambition to expand his media presence and engage with audiences more directly and personally via digital platforms.