Denise Welch and Piers Morgan were embroiled in a heated Twitter exchange following the Loose Women star’s divisive appearance on This Morning.
And the fact they managed to have such a public clash on social media when one has had the other blocked for a number of years now is quite something, to be honest.
On Friday, Denise was interviewed on This Morning about her belief that the “mainstream media” and government had been “scaremongering” the public with relation to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I have been appalled at the way the government and indeed our media have represented this virus to people,” she said, citing an increase in mental health issues like depression and anorexia during the pandemic.
“For five months now,” Denise continued, “We have had a rolling death count every day, we’ve never had one for the 500 that die of cancer, we’ve never had one for 180 people who die of heart disease every day, or the 20+ at the moment who are dying of suicide every day…
“But funnily enough, as things have improved drastically over the few months, I notice that I didn’t see the other day, when the news starts – bong! Nobody died in the UK because of a corona-related illness… so if you’re going to frighten us with how many were dying every day, please enlighten us and tell us how things have improved.”
The interview sparked a mixed reaction online, and while some celebrities showed Denise their support, including Alison Hammond and Amy Hart, one famous face who was unimpressed was Piers Morgan.
Tweeting afterwards, the Good Morning Britain presenter wrote: “Dumb, deluded & dangerous Covid-deniers like Denise Welch need to stop being given airtime.
“Her idiotic, ill-informed ramblings – from a woman who never stops telling us that she suffers from mental illness – will cost lives by persuading people to think the virus isn’t a threat.”
Sharing a screengrab of Piers’ tweet (she couldn’t quote-tweet him since he actually blocked her during a row about mental health years earlier), Denise wrote back: “Please ask Mr Morgan to show me one tweet, one interview where I have denied Covid? He doesn’t want to be telling complete and utter lies with such a huge following. Seriously.”
Fellow Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha then weighed in, writing: “I genuinely hope that neither @piersmorgan nor anyone he loves ever has to endure the pain of struggling with their mental health … sending you the biggest of hugs @RealDeniseWelch a damn fine woman is what you are.”
Piers quote-tweeted Nadia, writing: “If I had a loved one suffering from mental illness, I would stop them going on TV to spout ill-informed nonsense about Covid no longer being a serious threat.”
Nadia quickly fired back, stating that Denise’s views shouldn’t be “dismissed or rubbished on the grounds of mental health issues alone”
“It’s a slippery slope,” she added. “Have the argument @piersmorgan… just don’t attack on such a personal level … Can you not be better than this?”
Denise then accused Piers of “setting the ‘it’s good to talk’ campaign back 20 [years]”, sarcastically adding: “Of [course] people who have admitted to mental health issues are incapable of making rational decisions for themselves. Unbelievable!!!!”
Piers actually blocked Denise Welch on Twitter in 2017, following a heated row about mental health.
When she took Piers to task for suggesting singer Will Young was a “whiny twerp” for speaking openly about his struggles with PTSD, Denise shared a screenshot of the controversial broadcaster’s page, revealing he’d blocked her from seeing his tweets.
Last month, Piers also blocked fellow Loose Women star Carol McGiffin, in another row about Covid-19.
