Piers Morgan Defends Ariana Grande and Urges Trolls to “Back Off,” but His Selective Compassion Is Hard to Ignore

Piers Morgan has defended Ariana Grande as she prepares to step back from public-facing work after completing her Eternal Sunshine tour. In an Instagram post, the broadcaster described Grande as “a genuinely great person” and acknowledged that fame at her level can be “a very difficult and lonely place.” He urged people repeatedly commenting on her appearance to back off and give her space.  

Grande’s representative confirmed that she plans to take a break from public appearances and visibility after the tour ends. Grande later told concertgoers that the decision had been planned and was not simply a reaction to recent scrutiny. 

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A post shared by Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan)

Compassion Cannot Be Selective

Piers Morgan calling for compassion toward Ariana Grande would carry more weight if he had applied the same standard to Meghan Sussex. For years, he used television, columns and social media to attack her, often presenting personal resentment as public-interest commentary.

When Meghan disclosed that she had experienced suicidal thoughts, Morgan openly questioned her credibility. He later accepted that anyone experiencing such a crisis should receive help, but he continued to insist that he did not believe Meghan’s account.  

In a 2021 interview with Extra, Morgan also claimed that members of the Royal Family had privately thanked him for “standing up for them” following Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview.

Piers Morgan, a small man who needs attention at all times, walks off the set of ITV's Good Morning Britain when he's called out by fellow presenter Alex Beresford.

"Sorry, can't do this," Morgan says as he walked off.
"This is absolutely diabolical behavior," Beresford says. pic.twitter.com/fhvTtKBEII

— The Recount (@therecount) March 9, 2021

Final Thoughts

That history makes Morgan’s latest appeal deeply hypocritical. He now acknowledges that intense fame can be isolating and that constant scrutiny of a woman’s appearance can cause real harm. Those principles should apply regardless of whether he personally likes the woman involved or once believed he was entitled to continued access to her.

Ariana Grande deserves privacy, compassion and room to recover from years of scrutiny. Meghan deserved the same consideration when she spoke openly about her mental health. Empathy loses its meaning when it is offered only to people Morgan has not chosen to target.