CNN is planning to end Piers Morgan's primetime show soon — likely sometime in March, The New York Times' David Carr reports.
CNN spokesperson Meghan McPartland confirmed Sunday night that "Piers Morgan Live is ending. The date of the final program is still to be determined."
Morgan took over for Larry King on the network in 2011, occupying the 9 p.m. timeslot. But in recent months, the polarizing host's ratings had cratered — a fact he acknowledged in an interview with Carr.
“It’s been a painful period and lately we have taken a bath in the ratings,” he told Carr.
“Look, I am a British guy debating American cultural issues, including guns, which has been very polarizing, and there is no doubt that there are many in the audience who are tired of me banging on about it,” he said. “That’s run its course and Jeff and I have been talking for some time about different ways of using me.”
The month of February has produced six of the program's 10 lowest-rated shows ever, prompting Variety to ask if Morgan was "shooting himself in the foot" with a continued focus on gun control.
It's not yet clear what role he will have next at CNN, if any. His contract is up in September, and Carr reports that Morgan and the network are in talks about a new role.