‘Back off’: Piers Morgan urges trolls to stop ‘chuntering’ about Ariana Grande’s appearance
Ariana Grande has found an unlikely public defender as she faces ongoing scrutiny over her appearance.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan is urging online critics to stop the relentless commentary targeted at the singer as she prepares to step back from the spotlight.
Morgan voiced his support in an August 4 Instagram post, a day after Grande spoke to fans about her upcoming hiatus during her Chicago stop on the Eternal Sunshine tour.
Alongside a selfie with Grande, Morgan wrote, “I’ve no idea what’s going on with @arianagrande but I do know, after spending a random evening with her in a Beverly Hills restaurant a few years ago, that she’s a genuinely great person.” He praised her as “intelligent, funny, engaging, and of course, supremely talented.”
Morgan also addressed the pressures of global fame, stating, “Fame at her pop superstar level can be a very difficult and lonely place. So, I urge all the trolls currently making her life a misery with this constant chuntering [British slang for muttering] about her appearance to back off and give her the space she needs to sort herself out.”
Morgan’s comments followed widespread discussion about Grande’s appearance after the July 31 release of the music video for “petal,” a single from her album of the same name. The video prompted many unsolicited remarks on social media regarding her health and noticeably thin frame.
On August 2, People reported that, according to Grande’s representative, she “will be taking a step back from visibility” after her Eternal Sunshine tour ends on September 1. She will also no longer participate in the planned 2027 West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George at London’s Barbican Center.
The production was expected to reunite Grande with her Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey. Despite her departure, an insider told People that Grande “cannot wait to support the brilliant team bringing this project to life.”
Grande addressed her fans’ concerns during her August 3 Chicago performance, telling the audience, “I heard that my fans were worried that negativity was ruining things for me, but I just have to say that could not be more the f*** opposite” (per a clip shared online by Variety).
“Multiple things can be true at the same time. Yes, boundaries, they need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes. And also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life,” she added.