Piers Morgan makes brutal swipe at ‘pompous a**e’ MasterChef judge Jay Rayner

Former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan didn’t hold back as he called Jay Rayner a ‘pompous a**e’ after he refused to make a television tribute to late comedian Barry Cryer following his death

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Piers Morgan appears on BBC Breakfast after long TV hiatus

Piers Morgan made a brutal swipe at MasterChef judge Jay Rayner in a savage Twitter rant on Thursday.

The controversial former Good Morning Britain presenter, 56, went in on the food critic after he told fans he turned down a request to appear on GB News as part of a tribute to late comedian Barry Cryer, who died at the age of 86 earlier this week.

On the social media app, Jay wrote: “Email arrives: would I go on @GBNEWS to talk about Barry Cryer

“I’m terribly sorry. I’ve just checked my diary and it appears I have to stay in and stick pins in my eyes.”

Scolding the judge to his 7.9million followers, Piers penned back: “What a pompous a**e.”

Jay didn’t appear to make a direct response back to the presenter, but he did tweet: “I don’t like to boast.

“But last weekend I infuriated the die hard supporters of a certain former Labour leader; this weekend I have infuriated the devotees of a less than progressive TV ‘news’ channel.

“My appalling centrist dad credentials are clearly impeccable.”

Funnyman Barry was described as a ‘giant of British comedy’ and one of the ‘absolute greats’ in a series of heartfelt tributes shared after news of his passing.

News of Barry’s passing was confirmed by the star’s family who said he died ‘peacefully, in good spirits and with his family around him’ on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 25.

“He had a gift for friendship and a genius for putting people at their ease. Oh yes, and he made many people laugh. A lot,” they said in a statement.

“Dad was a talented comedy writer and comedian in a particularly golden vintage,” they added.

Following news of his death, celebrity friends and admirers of Barry flocked to social media to pay tribute.

Stephen Fry tweeted: “Such sad news, one of the absolute greats of British comedy, Barry Cryer, is no more.

“A glorious, gorgeous, hilarious and gifted writer and performer who straddled all the comic traditions. Universally beloved … farewell, Baz.”

Meanwhile, This Morning and Celebrity Gogglebox star Gyles Brandreth described Barry as ‘a great mentor and friend’.

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