Latest news with #Piers
Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The naked truth about life modelling
When I left university, I prepared for a short spell of poverty while I sent off amusing and opinionated articles to newspaper editors who needed the work of smart alecks like me to entertain their readers. My short spell of poverty lasted 17 years. In the meantime, I survived on odd jobs, including a stint as a life model. 'Starts at ten,' said Piers, a friend who taught at a college in Kensington. Before my shift, I flipped through Ernst Gombrich's The Story of Art in case a life model was expected to know the classical poses by heart. I imagined Piers starting me off with an easy one: 'The Thinker' by Rodin, or 'Moses' by Michelangelo, or 'The Martyrdom of St Sebastian' by Mantegna. Or he might challenge my scholar-ship by calling for 'Laocoön and his Sons' by Agesander of Rhodes, which requires the model to wear a look of tragic startlement while wrestling with two deadly pythons. And I rehearsed the most celebrated pose of all, Leonardo's 'Vitruvian Man'. Standing upright, gazing intently at the mirror, I extended my arms on either side of me. Naturally, I tried various time-settings. Ten to two, quarter to three, and so on. I arrived early and found Piers arranging the seats in a semi-circle. He nodded towards a utility cupboard which doubled as my changing room. Inside, amid boxes of crayons and paints, I removed all my clothes. I could hear the students gathering on the other side of the door. Piers knocked sharply twice. 'Ready.' I turned the handle and walked out stark naked into the studio.
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Piers Morgan's one-word response to Gary Lineker BBC exit after years-long feud
Gary Lineker is reportedly leaving the BBC following recent controversy and Piers Morgan - whom he's thought to have previously had a 'feud' - has reacted to the news The news of Gary Lineker 's departure from the BBC has prompted a shocked reaction from Piers Morgan. The journalist has been among those addressing reports that the long-serving sports pundit is set to leave the corporation. It was reported last night that Gary, 64, has decided to quit the BBC, with an announcement on the situation expected today. It's been suggested that his position has become "untenable" following another controversy in his career. He ended up apologising earlier this month after sharing a pro- Palestine post on social media that he has "since learned contained offensive references". He told fans at the time: "I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic." Gary was already due to leave his role as the host of Match of the Day at the end of the season, though it's reported that he will now leave earlier than planned. And he had been expected to be the main presenter of the broadcaster's coverage of next season's FA Cup and next year's World Cup. Piers, 60 - who was previously thought to have a feud with fellow presenter Gary - reacted to the news on X. Sharing an article about Gary's departure from the BBC, the former Good Morning Britain host wrote last night: "Wow…" The article shared by Piers was about Gary's apparent departure and suggested Gary was leaving by "mutual agreement," with his final Match of the Day expected to air Sunday. Gary and Piers have poked fun at each other in the past, and were thought to have a rivalry at one point, before seemingly reconciling in recent years. Gary teased over Piers whilst on an episode of ITV's the Assembly recently though. It came after he was asked to name the "absolute worst person" he has ever worked with. Responding, Gary teased on the show: "I'm struggling ... I'm trying to find someone. It's a shame I never worked with Piers Morgan, isn't it?" The BBC has yet to announce Gary's departure, but it was reported last night that he will be leaving. The reports come after he sparked a backlash with a post that he shared on Instagram earlier this month. As previously reported, Gary shared a post on the platform that featured a clip of Israel 's actions in Gaza being criticised. The post also included an emoji of a rat, which is associated with antisemitic tropes. Gary - who has often prompted criticism over sharing his political views - has been vocal about his concerns over Gaza. Speaking to the Telegraph, for example, he said recently: "It's beyond depraved, what they're going through, unimaginable. [...] It's inevitable that the Israeli occupation was going to cause massive problems, and I just feel for the Palestinians." His post earlier this month is the latest to attract controversy. Following the post, the Campaign Against Antisemitism group was among those calling for his departure from the BBC. In one post, the group wrote on X last week: "Nothing to see here. Just Gary Lineker's Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji." Whilst an anonymous member of BBC staff told the Telegraph: "It is quite simply disgusting that the BBC has not kicked Lineker out. His repeated offensiveness to Jewish people has clearly brought the BBC into disrepute. The interpretation of Zionism he has shared is anti-Semitic and the fact that the BBC thinks it's acceptable is deeply upsetting to its Jewish staff, myself included." Apologising for the post, Gary said: "On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in." He added: "The post was removed as soon as I became aware of the issue. Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters. I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views. It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly." Responding to the controversy, BBC Director-General, Tim Davie, when asked whether he thought Gary had broken the broadcaster's rules in terms of impartiality, said: "When it comes to presenters, I'll just say that the BBC's reputation is held by everyone. And when someone makes a mistake, it costs us. And I think we absolutely need people to be exemplars of the BBC values and follow our social media policies, simple as that."
The 42
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Connacht's Piers O'Conor to join Edinburgh on two-year deal
CONNACHT'S PIERS O'CONOR has agreed a two-year deal with Edinburgh. The province had confirmed the 29-year-old would leave at the end of the season last week, and the Scottish club have now announced O'Conor's signature. The versatile back, who joined from Bristol last year, has scored three tries across his 17 appearances for Connacht. The 29-year-old has recorded the most carries (159), metres gained (710), defenders beaten (32), and clean breaks (19) for the Irish province in the URC this season. O'Conor said: 'I'm really excited to get started. Joining a club like Edinburgh is a big opportunity: it's a new environment and a strong squad. It's a great challenge and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in, meeting the group, and doing my bit to help the team push on and win some silverware. 'It's a fresh start and a move I'm looking forward to. Moving to a new city brings new opportunities, on and off the pitch. I can't wait to get up there, get settled and get to work. Edinburgh's a proper rugby city with a strong identity and I'm keen to make it home. 'Edinburgh are tough to play against, always physical, always competitive, and that's something I want to be part of. The group's been playing some really good rugby, and I'm looking forward to adding to that. I'm excited to join up in the summer and push for a strong, successful season with the team.' O'Conor was born in Sydney but grew up in England, and represented Ireland at U19 level before making his senior debut for Wasps in 2014. O'Conor then played with the England U20s and lined out for Ealing Trailfinders before moving to Bristol in 2018, where he played 137 times, scored 26 tries and won a Challenge Cup medal in 2018. Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt added: 'Piers is exactly the type of quality operator we look for in a non-Scottish qualified signing. He's an excellent player with the ability to cover multiple positions across the backline, which is hugely valuable for us in managing the demands of a long season. 'His arrival complements the recent re-signing/signing of exciting young Scottish backs like Harry Paterson, Jack Brown and Malelili Satala, and his experience and leadership will be invaluable in helping to get the very best out of other younger players coming through our academy system such as Lewis Wells, Findlay Thomson and Finlay Doyle. Piers isn't here to block anyone's progress; instead, we see him as a catalyst who will further improve those around him. 'His consistent performances and impressive statistics speak for themselves, and his experience and leadership qualities will be a significant asset to our squad both on and off the field. We can't wait to welcome him to the club this summer.'
STV News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Edinburgh sign Piers O'Conor on two-year deal from Connacht
Edinburgh have announced the signing of former Bristol back Piers O'Conor from Connacht on a two-year deal. The 29-year-old, who can play at centre, wing and full-back, will move to the Scottish capital this summer. O'Conor has started 15 of Connacht's 17 United Rugby Championship matches this season since joining the Galway club last summer following six years with Bristol. 'Joining a club like Edinburgh is a big opportunity,' O'Conor told the Edinburgh website. 'It's a new environment and a strong squad. 'It's a great challenge and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in, meeting the group and doing my bit to help the team push on and win some silverware. 'It's a fresh start and a move I'm looking forward to. Moving to a new city brings new opportunities, on and off the pitch. 'I can't wait to get up there, get settled and get to work. Edinburgh's a proper rugby city with a strong identity and I'm keen to make it home.' Sydney-born and English-raised, O'Conor has played for Ireland Under-19s and England Under-20s, while he also earned a call-up to an England XV for an uncapped match against the Barbarians in 2019. 'Piers is exactly the type of quality operator we look for in a non-Scottish qualified signing,' said Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt. 'He's an excellent player with the ability to cover multiple positions across the backline, which is hugely valuable for us in managing the demands of a long season. 'His arrival complements the recent re-signing/signing of exciting young Scottish backs like Harry Paterson, Jack Brown and Malelili Satala, and his experience and leadership will be invaluable in helping to get the very best out of other younger players coming through our academy system. 'Piers isn't here to block anyone's progress. Instead, we see him as a catalyst who will further improve those around him. 'His consistent performances and impressive statistics speak for themselves and his experience and leadership qualities will be a significant asset to our squad both on and off the field. We can't wait to welcome him to the club this summer.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Piers Morgan makes unexpected offer to Kanye West after rapper furiously exits interview
US rapper Kanye West abruptly walked out of his most recent interview with Piers Morgan, who later blasted the rapper's conduct in a scathing public statement Piers Morgan has has challenged Kanye West to another interview after yet another explosive encounter that ended with the rapper abruptly leaving their scheduled meeting. On Piers Morgan Uncensored, Kanye cut the interview short after just four minutes when he accused Piers of 'patronising' him because the TV presenter mistakenly said that he had 32 million followers on X - rather than 33 million followers. Piers, 60, was adamant about questioning the rapper, 47, about his anti-Semitic posts on X after he claimed that all Jews are 'slaves' and that they should be 'whipped'. Kanye also horrified social media users earlier this year in a vile outburst on X where he claimed that he 'loved Hitler'. Defending having Kanye on the show, Piers said: 'The reason I wanted to get him on was because I don't think anyone holds him to account for anything he does on X, and in fact, he deliberately breaches all of X's rules, and yet he does it with impunity and is allowed to do it, whereas millions of other accounts get suspended for far less offences. "I was going to ask him directly, why I mentioned his X following, I was going to ask him about what he puts on X and why he does this? Why he continually attacks Jewish people, why he continually celebrates Adolf Hitler?' After the explosive clash, Kanye took to X to berate Piers. In a scathing post he said: "Let's have a real interview someday. It's all love." In response, the TV presenter clapped back: "We could have had one yesterday if you hadn't run away before I could ask you any questions. When you're prepared to actually do that, let me know." Piers continued: "Let's see if he has the guts - or whether he prefers hurling his abusive, hateful 'love' at people unchallenged on social media." Before the interview aired, Piers took to Instagram to break the news, posting a photo of a visibly disgruntled Kanye and captioning it with biting sarcasm: "UPDATE: I interviewed Kanye West again today. "As I expected, given what I've said about him recently, it didn't last long or go well. This was him right before he stomped off like a big baby before I could ask him why he's become a vile, Hitler-loving, Nazi-slathering, anti-Semitic p***k. Drops on @piersmorganuncensored later..." As expected, reactions flooded in. Some followers praised Piers for holding firm, with journalist Rosanna Lockwood calling it "the caption to end all captions" and adding a clapping emoji. Others were less impressed, with one commenter cheekily reminding him, "I love this and ur honesty piers but u also stormed off like a big baby." It's not the first time the pair have clashed. Back in 2022, they went head-to-head in a combative sit-down on TalkTV. The conversation was intense, unfiltered, and stretched over two hours - until Kanye, then still going by Ye, reached a breaking point and walked off mid-filming. Piers later described the fallout, saying that retrieving the rapper after his dramatic exit proved to be "quite a struggle." Nevertheless, he was ultimately relieved that Ye returned. He told viewers at the time: 'I'm glad I did because we ended up getting to where I think in his mind he wanted to get to. I think he wanted to atone for what he had done and the damage he had caused. But he was too fired up and too proud to actually go there until we got towards the end.' Despite that, Piers didn't mince words in his assessment of the rapper's views, branding him 'racist,' 'horribly homophobic,' and 'pro-Hitler.' Since then, Ye has only courted further backlash, continuing to post incendiary content across his social media platforms.
