AUDIO: Piers Morgan - 'I Have Big Suspenders To Fill'
Sep. 9 2010, Published 11:40 a.m. ET
New CNN lynchpin Piers Morgan sang the praises of his predecessor Larry King on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM morning show Thursday, as he said he'd be “thrilled” if he could have half the career King's had.
Listen to the audio on RadarOnline.com
"I have big suspenders to fill," Morgan said, adding King has always been one of his all-time heroes, alongside iconic British journalist David Frost. "I'm not going to replace Larry King -- no one's going to replace Larry King."
It's Official: Piers Morgan To Replace Larry King On CNN
He said King "could not have been more gracious" when they met Wednesday after the announcement. Morgan said he told King that following him is akin to following Frank Sinatra at the Sands.
"I'm aware of the history, I'm aware of the legacy," Morgan said.
As RadarOnline.com was first to report June 30, Morgan, 45, was wooed by CNN to replace by the outgoing King, whose sagging ratings and publicized marital problems reportedly hastened his departure from his talk show after a quarter-century.
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Morgan, to date, is best known for his work in Britain, where he was the former editor of The Mirror paper and a judge on Britain's Got Talent. He’s also appeared on shows like Celebrity Apprentice and America's Got Talent.
He's expected to take over the chair in January, 2011.