Piers Morgan Set To Take Over Larry King 's CNN Slot, Announcement To Come In Next Few Days: Report

Piers Morgan, the "Simon Cowell" of NBC's "America's Got Talent," is reportedly on the brink of announcing he will be taking over Larry King's interview chair on CNN.

NBC and CNN are in the final stages of negotiating a major deal which would allow Morgan to appear on both programs, reports The New York Times Media Decoder blog.

According to three sources involved in the negotiations that spoke with the Times, an announcement could be made in just a few days.

Morgan, 45, is not yet a household name in the U.S. but is a very well known interviewer in his native Britain.

A former editor of British publications News of The World and The Daily Mirror, Morgan's official website says he left newspapers behind in 2004 when he was "sacked following the decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war."

While best known in the states for his sharp-edged criticism, Morgan has also honed his interviewing skills across the pond with popular shows like "You Can't Fire Me, I'm Famous," and "Piers Morgan's Life Stories," both of which featured Morgan sitting down with celebrities.

Morgan's name has been in the mix for King's replacement since the veteran anchor first announced he was giving up his prize time slot.

At the time, CNN president Jon Klein told the Daily News that the network was reviewing a number of options. "Piers Morgan is a very talented interviewer," Klein said, "but there are a number of strong interviewers out there, a number of talented people."

If Morgan is chosen, CNN, which is grappling with sharply declining ratings, will be looking to him to attract an infusion of younger viewers.

The 9 p.m. time slot is key for the network as it tries to rebuild its star power. Last month it announced that disgraced former N.Y. Governor Eliot Spitzer would be joining as a future co-host of a new 8pm show.

"The 9 p.m. hour is the linchpin of any success in cable news, Tammy Haddad, a former producer of "Larry King Live," told the Times. "As a cable channel, it tells viewers who you are and what you care about."

And if the past is any indication, Morgan will be a hit.

As Haddad put it, Almost every other U.K. TV import has been hugely successful."

Related Video

Taylor Mathews America s Got Talent Las Vegas Round hillel presser richard blumenthal sue sylvester practice indiana stagnation hal holbrook ralph snodsmith how did gary coleman die earth day coloring pages for kids thomas hagan jai guru deva om perpetually 21 kayden nguyen south play ground 200th part trembler los angeles stores open on easter sunday 2010 Taylor Mathews America s Got Talent Las Vegas Round

More Hot News

• Oil Rises On Top Of $73 Among Stronger Batch Markets
• Google Lets Users Have Phone Calls From Gmail
• Google Tails Skype With Call Service
• Five Ways Gmail Chat Looks Better Than Skype
• Ahold Reports 3 Percent Climb In Q2 Profits

Related posts about America S Got Talent