Piers Morgan has leapt to the defence of ITV reporter Gabriel Clarke after the veteran broadcaster faced a wave of criticism for his post-match interviews with England head coach Thomas Tuchel and midfielder Jude Bellingham following the Three Lions' 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway. Morgan, writing on X, branded the backlash 'absolute codswallop' and praised Clarke for doing 'a superb job' in eliciting 'newsworthy answers'.
Clarke under fire for stoking tension
Clarke, who has worked for ITV since 1991 and is widely respected for his in-depth features during England's qualification campaigns and major tournaments, found himself on the receiving end of fierce criticism in the 48 hours after Saturday's match. Many accused the 62-year-old of stoking division within the England camp after he suggested to Tuchel that his squad might have a 'mentality' problem—a notion the German coach quickly dismissed. In the same interview, Tuchel admitted his side had 'got lucky' and 'made life difficult for themselves' with their performance in Miami, where Bellingham again came to the rescue.
Bellingham's reaction adds fuel
When Bellingham replaced Tuchel in front of the cameras, Clarke informed the midfielder that his manager was 'not very happy'. Bellingham shrugged, shook his head, and replied: 'Ah well, whatever. Whatever. It's difficult out there, it's difficult. It's a tough shift, all the players have put in a very tough shift so my thoughts and appreciation goes to the players out there who put in a great shift.' The exchange drew attention to the reportedly frosty relationship between Bellingham and Tuchel, which had come to a head in June 2025 when the German described the Real Madrid star's on-pitch behaviour as 'repulsive'. While the pair were believed to have patched things up, Bellingham's remarks suggested ongoing friction.
TalkSPORT caller sparks Morgan's response
During a talkSPORT phone-in on Sunday night, one England supporter called Clarke 'an absolute disgrace', saying he 'completely misread Tuchel's comments about the team playing badly and then took that comment and ran with it to a tired and emotional Jude Bellingham'. The caller added: 'This is just typical of our media. We destroy our heroes, like Gazza, Rooney and now Jude. ... Give me a cheerleader because everyone now should be on the same page: all positivity, no negativity.' Morgan responded on X, calling the comments 'a load of absolute codswallop' and asserting that Clarke 'did his job, superbly well. He asked the right questions, and got very newsworthy answers. It's not his fault that Tuchel decided to go nuclear (which I loved) and then of course he had to ask Bellingham about it.'
Simon Jordan weighs in
TalkSPORT presenter Simon Jordan countered Morgan, writing: 'Yes of course he did … selectively chose parts of what Tuchel said, to curate a response… What a delight our media are and all its creations revel in manipulated, diminishing outcomes. What a winning mentality that is.' Morgan replied: 'We'll discuss this later on World Cup Uncensored. Suffice it to say, you're wrong. (And you're part of the media…whether you admit it or not).'
Bellingham's form and semi-final ahead
Bellingham will look to put any friction behind him as England prepare to face defending champions Argentina in the semi-final on Wednesday, with kick-off at 8pm BST at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, broadcast on BBC One. The 23-year-old has scored six goals in the tournament, trailing only Kylian Mbappe (8), Lionel Messi (8), and Erling Haaland (7), and has won four Player of the Match awards in six matches, including a heroic double against Norway. Earlier speculation that Bellingham might not start has been firmly put to bed.
