Piers Morgan has sparked a backlash after criticising Ariana Grande in the wake of the Manchester terror attacks.
Grande was headlining a show at Manchester Arena, before a lone bomber struck the foyer just as fans were leaving the venue – killing 22 people and injuring 59. Many of them were children and teenagers. The youngest among those named as dead was just 8-years-old.
The singer told fans that she was ‘absolutely broken’ by the devastating events, before cancelling the remaining tour dates out of respect.
Morgan had previously inspired outrage after carrying out an interview the morning after the attacks which many viewers described as ‘sickening‘, but now he’s caused another stir on Twitter by questioning why the star didn’t remain in Manchester to visit those injured, as the Queen did yesterday.
Agreed.
Might have been nice if @ArianaGrande had stayed to do the same. https://t.co/s4ibBma3IQ— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2017
Probably not as much as those killed & wounded. She should have stayed to visit her injured fans. https://t.co/a5cxXybobF
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2017
I can 100% guarantee you I would stay & visit those who had been killed or wounded watching me perform. https://t.co/GWTlG7jN48
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2017
If the Queen can visit the victims in hospital, so can the star they paid to see. https://t.co/PhYo3sMbb7
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2017
I expected her to stay, visit & comfort her wounded fans & relatives of those who died. https://t.co/We5yVgG7gw
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2017
However, many have hit back at Morgan’s ‘ignorance’ and ‘insensitivity’, with one Twitter user arguing: “Take a step back and ask yourself ‘Does this traumatised girl need me to harass her?’, if your answer is yes, your moral compass is warped.”
22 innocent people died yet somehow you find a way to start a hate campaign against Ariana Grande unreal
— Thomas Stirk (@TomStirk1992) May 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/erskinetweets/status/868045869182005248
Piers Morgan slamming Ariana Grande for not visiting the Manchester victims. She's blaming herself for this, she'd only feel worse doing so.
— MoonlightButera (@CantQuitAriG) May 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/seangrandillo/status/867861340572057604
https://twitter.com/ABrown186/status/867841599610511360
There is currently a campaign to get Ariana Grande’s single ‘One More Time’ to top of the singles chart this week, while Manchester Evening News have also set up a JustGiving page to help those affected by the attack.
The entertainment world has spoken out in tribute following the attack – with the likes of Johnny Marr, Taylor Swift, Liam Gallagher, Katy Perry, Harry Styles and many more honouring those who died and the people of Manchester.
Anyone with any information concerning the attack is asked to call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline in confidence on 0800 789321.