TalkTV trumps rivals as 400,000 people tune in to Piers Morgan Uncensored Business

The performance provides a solid foundation for Rupert Murdoch’s insurgent TV channel to build on as it attempts to disrupt the BBC with a brand of opinionated American-style news.

Mr Morgan plans to follow up on his explosive exclusive interview with the former US President tonight, when the Donald is expected to discuss the Queen’s joy in meeting him during his term.

The tense televised encounter on Monday night included Mr Trump telling Mr Morgan he thought he was “much more honest” than him.

“I don’t think you are real,” he added. “I think I’m a much more honest person in a lot of ways.”

Mr Morgan responded by asking, “Why am I not real?” to which Mr. Trump replied, “We’re not going to get into that, let’s finish the interview.”

The ratings come after The Telegraph revealed TalkTV feared being hit by an advertising boycott similar to the backlash that hit rival broadcaster GB News when some of the world’s biggest brands halted their campaigns following pressure of Stop Funding Hate, the left-wing social media campaign. group.

News UK, which owns TalkTV alongside the Sun and Times newspapers, had held two video conferences with advertisers to communicate the channel’s approach ahead of its launch.

Mr Morgan told advertisers he was drawn to Mr Murdoch’s media empire because ‘it was an organization that understood what free speech really means’.

But while he said the channel’s aim was to “support the great pillar of democracy”, he admits there will be limits to what he can say.

“Of course there are limits, and we know where those lines are,” he said. “I would like to reassure this particular audience that you will not be able to classify us in a right or left wing slice.”