Larry King announced his retirement on June 29, 2010 - Photo CNN
Morgan who is best known for his time working for British Tabloids said following King is “like replacing Frank Sinatra at the Sands.” Larry King is considered one of the greatest interviewers in the industry and possibly the best in prime-time.
Larry King Live made its debut on CNN in 1985. In June, King announced his retirement from the show but not from the network. King has opted to host specials for the network on availability. The show is CNN’s most watched and longest running show ever for the news giant, which prompted CNN President, Jon Klein to seek out a replacement for King.
Piers Morgan seemed to be an unlikely candidate for CNN. Morgan was showbiz editor of Britain’s largest selling daily tabloid, The Sun. He later took over the Daily Mirror, bringing much success to the paper. Morgan had significant experience in tabloid reporting, but lacked prime-time expertise that a replacement for King would require.
Klein never considered Morgan a viable candidate for the position. John Ferriter, Morgan’s agent, emailed interview links to Klein right after King’s announcement. Long before CNN revealed they were seeking a replacement Ferriter had already contacted CNN regarding Morgan. After watching several of the interviews, Klein “was just blown away by his talent, his ability to hone in on facets of people’s personalities you never knew were there.”
Negotiations were slow but eventually concluded. The contract allows Morgan to continue with “America’s Got Talent” and his show on Britain’s ITV. Morgan is set to begin as Larry King’s replacement in January.