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  • Published: 1 November 2005
  • ISBN: 9780091908492
  • Imprint: Ebury Press
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 496
  • RRP: $39.99
Categories:

The Insider

The Private Diaries of a Scandalous Decade



The most talked-about book of the year - now in paperback

The Insider dominated the media on publication in March 2005 and instantly became a No.1 bestseller. Not only did it fill thousands of column inches with its revelations about prominent political and showbiz figures, it was critically acclaimed across the broadsheets for its unique and fascinating insight into the worlds of celebrity, royalty, politics and the media.

Piers Morgan was made editor of the News of the World, the UK's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper at the record-breaking age of 28. The decade that followed was one of the most tumultuous in modern times. In a world of indiscreet dinners, private meetings and gossipy lunches, Piers Morgan found himself in the thick of it. His diaries from this remarkable period reveal astonishing and hilarious encounters with an endless list of celebrities and politicians alike: Diana, William, Charles and Camilla; Tony Blair, Cherie, Gordon Brown; Paul McCartney, George Michael and Elton John; Jeremy Clarkson, Paula Yates and Gazza to name just a few.

Entertaining, engaging and compulsive, The Insider was the most talked-about book of 2005, blowing apart every notion we have of politics, media and celebrity.

  • Published: 1 November 2005
  • ISBN: 9780091908492
  • Imprint: Ebury Press
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 496
  • RRP: $39.99
Categories:

About the author

Piers Morgan

Piers Morgan was born in 1965. He studied journalism at Harlow College, beginning his career in local south London newspapers. Spotted by Kelvin MacKenzie of the Sun he was given his own showbiz column, Bizarre. Rupert Murdoch made him editor of the News of the World in January 1994; he was headhunted two years later to edit the Mirror where he stayed until 2004 when he was fired following his decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war. He presented two series of Tabloid Tales for BBC2 and co-hosted the current affairs show Morgan and Platellon Channel 4. Piers was also a judge for many years on both Britain's Got Talent and America's Got Talent, and won the first series of Donald Trumps's Celebrity Apprentice show in America. He currently hosts Britain's most popular interview show, Life Stories, on ITV. And is the anchor of the nightly news and interview show Piers Morgan Live on CNN, where he replaced the legendary Larry King. This is his fourth volume of diaries.

Also by Piers Morgan

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Praise for The Insider

A riveting read with splendid anecdotes on almost every page

The Times

Many books have been written about the character of the Blair era, but this is the most readable and most devastating

Telegraph

If in years to come this book is remembered and consulted, it will be for its vivid evocation of the tawdry atmosphere of the court surrounding the present occupant of number 10

Independent on Sunday

An amusing, revealing and (mostly) true look at all the news that's fit to print, and some that wasn't

The Sun

One of the most uproarious and indiscreet accounts of public life in recent times

Mary Riddell, Daily Mail

This is a book of historical importance

Peter Oborne, The Spectator

The best account we have so far of what life has really been like in No.10 for the past eight years... I do, on the whole, trust this amazing account. In the first place, his depiction of the three main characters - Mr Blair, Cherie Blair and Alastair Campbell - is consistent with what we already know of them. And, in the second place, it all hangs together. We see these people in moods of rage, self-pity and treachery, and in the round each of them is all too credible

Stephen Glover, Daily Mail

An extraordinary insight into the personality of the Prime Minister

Independent

Funny and fabulously indiscreet, this is a book that holds up a mirror to the spinning and posturing of our celebrity age ... scurrilously entertaining

Observer

Hundreds of wonderful tales, some funny, some profound, some just fascinating - Book of the Week

Greg Dyke, Guardian

A right, rollicking good read

Andrew Neil, Evening Standard

An irresistible read, whether you love him or hate him, are friend or foe, or wouldn't touch the Mirror with decontaminated tweezers. And there is enough arrogant boasting, self-immolation and sweet boyish charm to convert you from one category to another and back again

Charles Wilson, Independent

Loud, brash and hilarious...there is much here to fill even the most refined with secret guilty delight

Saturday Telegraph

An exhilarating run through the news of the last decade, from the inside ... Morgan describes everything in a deliciously indiscreet style

Irish Times

Full of juicy gossip and great stories

Konnie Huq, Blue Peter, Sunday Express

Scurrilous, fun and interesting

Patricia Ferguson, Scotland on Sunday

One of the best-ever books about journalism

Lynn Barber, Observer

Fun, very revealing and entertaining. Brilliant!

Mail on Sunday

Fast and furious, juicy and jaundiced, racy and revelatory, scandalous and saucy, witty and wanton...a rollicking read - Paperback of the Week

Observer

Enormously indiscreet ... this is the most entertaining book about the culture of celebrity in ages

Evening Standard

His diaries are hilarious, but within them lies the tale of a cocky young gossip columnist who grew up and found the moral compass that Mrs Blair famously thought he lacked

The Times

The incidents will have you laughing out loud and shocked into incredulity. This is an irresistible insight into British media and politics

Waterstone's Books Quarterly

Will leave your jaw scraping on the ground. A compelling insight into the rich and famous - *****

Heat

Shockingly indiscreet ... a compulsive piece of entertainment, and an immensely instructive peek behind the scenes of public life and tabloid journalism ... In keeping with Morgan's editorial style it's blunt and irritatingly moralistic, but also uproarious and admirably bold

Independent on Sunday

Red-top rascal tells all through a decade's diary of scoops, scandals and celebs

Independent on Sunday

A compelling read on any level, whether you want to consider the relationship between politics and the press, royal behaviour, the red-top world - or just want a good laugh

Independent

One of the most revealing narratives on the nature of power and the media in modern Britain ...The conspiring of politicians in their own trivialisation is one of the untold stories of our times. It is time we were told - and Morgan's document is a good start

Prospect

You couldn't wish for a more scintillating settling of bitter scores

Independent

You will literally not sleep until you've devoured it all

More

Febrile, amusing

Sunday Times

Absolutely astonishing. I'd highly recommend it

Diana Rigg