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Becca Monaghan

Piers Morgan and Dan Walker feud: From Strictly to salaries and storming off set

“You came 5th, mate”

(Picture: Getty Images/YouTube)

A longstanding feud has been reignited between Piers Morgan, 56, and Dan Walker, 44, after the latter was voted off Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday (December 5).

The Strictly judges made the unanimous vote to send AJ Odudu through to the semi-finals, waving goodbye to the BBC presenter.

Walker joked that he also “would have saved AJ and Kai [Widdrington] as well”, later tweeting admiration for his “superstar” dance partner, Nadiya Bychkova. He said: “@NadiyaBychkova is a superstar: kind, encouraging, funny, clever, the best teacher I could ever have hoped for & a great friend.”

Naturally, Morgan sought an opportunity to add fire to their rivalry responding, “You came 5th, mate, she needed a better pupil.”

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While fellow Twitter users hit back and slammed the tweet as “uncalled for”, it didn’t take long for Walker to retaliate as he paid homage to Morgan’s notorious Good Morning Britain walkout in March.

Walker responded: “Morning. I did think about walking off when @CraigRevHorwood gave me some grief in week 2 but… who does that? [sic]”

Ouch.

Here are six times previous times the presenters simply couldn’t contain themselves.

A muggy attack

Good Morning Britain producer Neil Thompson returned to his ITV peers bearing mugs from the team at BBC – and Morgan certainly wasn’t happy.

He whipped out a hammer on air and started demolishing the gift.

“It’s not at all the right time, Neil, to put a BBC Breakfast mug in front of me,” he raged.

“Apparently, health and safety are upset - do one.”

Dan mocked Piers storming off GMB set

We all know the story of Morgan’s infamous GMB walkout.

Morgan had a lot to say about Meghan Markle’s Oprah interview, which led to a disagreement with weatherman Alex Beresford.

Subsequently, he stormed off and never returned.

In response, Walker posted a photo with his BBC Breakfast co-host Louise Minchin. “This was taken a few seconds before I stormed off set because Carol said it was going to be chilly this weekend,” he said.

Piers clapped back: “I’m surprised BBC bosses didn’t storm in and drag you off set after yesterday’s ratings came in.”

Piers’ backhanded compliment towards Dan’s Strictly debut

Strictly Come Dancing’s launch show received its lowest rating in 11 years.

Morgan posted about the news with a sarcastic blow, reading: “Congrats @mrdanwalker,” and a thumbs-up emoji.

He then followed up with the closest he’d get to paying a compliment: “Very disappointing by Mr Dan Walker...I was hoping you would be a lot worse than that!”

Dan’s BBC job offer to the former ITV presenter

Following the live catastrophe, ITV announced: “Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.”

Walker then responded to the news with: “Sorry to hear the news about your departure from GMB @piersmorgan.

“If you’d like to come on the UK’s number 1 breakfast show to talk about it... we could make some space for you in the morning.”

Piers took a swipe at Dan’s salary

When all BBC staff were asked to reveal their salaries in 2017, Morgan was equipped and raring to go. He claimed Walker had earned “one-eighth of a Lineker”.

He didn’t stop there.

Instead, he brought BBC weather reporter Carol Kirkwood into the mess after she received a Television and Radio Industries Club award.

The award had been given to “somebody from a rival show that nobody watches”, Morgan moaned on GMB the following morning.

Walker told the Radio Times: “I fight back because nobody else does.”

“In the noise that circulates around him, I don’t care what he says about me, only when he pokes fun at Breakfast, or has a pop at Carol Kirkwood or at our viewers.”

Piers Morgan, who?

When The Sun’s TV Mag addressed Walker’s and Morgan’s public fallouts, Walker simply responded: “Who?”

Now, that’s the way to shut down a feud between two grown men.

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