Piers Morgan defends his upcoming interview with Andrew Tate and says ‘the more light you shine on these characters, the better’ amid criticism for ‘platforming’ influencer accused of rape and human trafficking

Piers Morgan has defended his upcoming interview with Andrew Tate, by insisting the ‘more light you shine on these characters, the better’. 

Controversial social media influencer Tate, 36, is currently awaiting trial in Romania after being charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women last year.

Tonight, the self-professed misogynist and his younger brother Tristian – who is also facing the same charges – will appear in the first of two ‘explosive’ interviews on Piers Morgan Uncensored.

But news of the interview sparked fury online, with women condemning British journalist Morgan for giving ‘toxic’ former kickboxing champion Tate a ‘platform’, with some now demanding people boycott the programme. 

Hitting back today, Morgan said he pushed Tate ‘hard’ over his ‘problematic’ views and ‘misogyny’. Grilled about whether the Tates should be given a platform, Morgan told TalkToday: ‘With these kinds of characters, the more light you shine on them the better, actually. The more you actually hold their feet to the fire a bit.’ 

Divisive social media influencer Tate has millions of followers across his various online platforms. 

He was arrested in December 2022 on allegations of rape, human trafficking and organised crime, spending several months in prison before then been moved to house arrest. He was freed from this in August. 

The 36-year-old has insisted he has ‘done nothing wrong’ and has dismissed the allegations against, saying Romanian authorities have ‘no substantial evidence’ against him. 

Speaking outside his home in Bucharest, Romania, in August, Tate told reporters he would be ‘absolutely exonerated’ over the charges brought against him and his younger 35-year-old brother. 

In a promotional clip ahead of the interview with Tate, Morgan explains the controversial star now has more freedom to ‘travel around’ Romania, having spent three months behind bars in a Romanian jail – most of which was in ‘solitary’ confinement. 

‘They’ve had their restrictions relaxed increasingly, and they’re allowed to travel around now. And there’s a word that they may possibly get all their possessions back that were seized – their cars, their houses and so on,’ Morgan told TalkTV.

‘So, no one is quite sure what is going on with this. They’re due to face a trial and as I said to both of them repeatedly, “I’m not here to be the judge and jury on the very serious offences you’ve been charged with – that’s going to be for a court of law, as it should be”. But look, “will it actually go to court” is an interesting question.’

In a post on X about the upcoming tête-à-tête, Morgan insisted ‘nothing’ was ‘off-limits’, today tweeting: ‘Andrew Tate returns to ⁦ @PiersUncensored⁩ for the first time since his arrest 8 days after our last interview. It’s an extraordinary encounter. Jail, tears, rage, misogyny, covid, the Israel/Hamas war. Nothing off-limits.’

But the broadcaster’s decision triggered fury from people online, with one raging: ‘Why would they be given air time? That’s literally half the problem of their misogyny being spread.’

‘Such a shame, I don’t understand why you give a platform to people like this,’ another added.

While a third said: ‘No idea why you would give these two any air time – they are dangerous as they spread misogyny and hate.’ 

Responding to the criticism, Morgan said it was right to hold Tate’s ‘feet to the fire’. He added the social media star had a massive following and deserved to be taken to task on his views. 

‘He has an extraordinary global influence – good, bad and ugly,’ Morgan added during his interview with TalkToday this morning. 

‘I think 65 to 70 per cent of stuff he comes out with I think is actually a good positive message for young men to have. It’s the 25 to 30 per cent which I categorise as misogyny which I don’t think he even really understands is misogyny and I really take him on over that stuff as I have done before that is really, with him, problematic and maybe part of the situation he’s found himself in.’

Asked by TalkTV host Jeremy Kyle whether he thought Tate was ‘clever’, Morgan said: ‘I don’t think he is quite as smart as he thinks he is.

‘He’s street smart, he’s obviously very charismatic as a lot of good and bad people in history have been, he just wields extraordinary influence.’

He added: ‘I don’t know if he is as bad as these charges suggest he is or whether there’s a lot of an act going on.

‘I pushed him quite hard on stuff where he tries to say “well I was just being sarcastic then” and I say “well what, do you mean it or not?”

Last month Tate’s alleged abuse victims claimed they were being subjected to harassment and intimidation by the accused and his followers in a bid to silence them, according to lawyers.

Speaking at a news conference in central Bucharest, Romania, the lawyers – who represent legal teams from the US and the UK – said they wanted to take a ‘united stand’ against Tate and his followers and address ‘ongoing attempts to silence those who are speaking out’.

One of the legal teams, McCue Jury & Partners, represents women suing Tate in the UK for allegations of rape and physical assault, while the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation’s Law Centre and Laffey Bucci & Kent represent ‘key witnesses’ of the prosecution in the Romania case who Tate is suing in the US for defamation.

‘These threats will not work, they will not prevent people from coming forward, and they will not prevent courts around the world from hearing their cases,’ the lawyers said in a joint statement.

Tate’s spokesperson denied the claims made by the lawyers.

No date has yet been fixed for any court appearance of Tate and his brother. 

Tate’s interview airs at 8pm on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV