Things could be worse. Piers Morgan could have confirmed the rumours that he might apply for the role of BBC director general. Then we’d really be in trouble.
With the Telegraph merging into the Daily Mail’s orbit, the last thing Britain needs is yet another right-wing media heavyweight tightening its grip on an already lopsided landscape.
And yet, sigh, that appears to be exactly what’s coming.
Veteran journalist and broadcaster Piers Morgan is now seeking major investment to transform his YouTube-based Uncensored show into a global media brand. Viewers learned this week, via a breaking interruption on Sky News, that Morgan is raising tens of millions of dollars to supercharge the venture.
Sky News City editor Mark Kleinman reported: “The Piers Morgan YouTube show has amassed well over four million subscribers. And I understand that he is in the process of finalising the fundraising of about $30million to expand the Uncensored brand globally.
“This deal will value the business just under £100 million before the new money is factored in and we’ll see it launch new areas, such as in history, technology and sport.”‘
We now know who some of the backers are. The Raine Group, a New York merchant bank increasingly meddling with UK media, sport and culture, is among the investors.
The name might ring a bell. Raine was appointed in April 2024, alongside Robey Warshaw, to advise on the future ownership of the Telegraph and the Spectator. It previously acted as financial adviser to the Glazer family during the sale of a 29% stake in Manchester United to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, reportedly pocketing £25 million for the job.
Raine appears to have developed quite an appetite for UK-based ventures.
Also in the mix is Theo Kyriakou, chairman of the Greece-based Antenna Group. Kyriakou made headlines in May 2025 when he attended an official dinner in Qatar hosted by the Emir in honour of Donald Trump during Trump’s Middle East tour, where he reportedly held a private discussion with the president about international business and political developments.
And the Trump connection is hard to ignore. Morgan, of course, has been a longtime friend of Trump, whom he has affectionately called “champ” for years. Their relationship dates to Morgan’s 2008 victory on the Celebrity Apprentice, a win Morgan once admitted came from giving Trump exactly what he wanted.
Reaction to Morgan’s fundraising news has been predictably mixed, with social media delivering both mockery and concern.
“$30m to make Piers Morgan even louder? At this point investors must be paying for the chaos, not the journalism,” was one comment.
“So basically, another propaganda machine, got it,” was another.
One user posted: “This is what happens when you build an audience outside the traditional media bubble, investors follow attention, not institutions.”
“I guess he’s getting his prize for defending Israel’s genocide for the last 2 years…” said another.
In fairness, things could be worse. Piers Morgan could have confirmed the rumours that he might apply for the role of BBC director general.
Then we’d really be in trouble.
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