Piers Morgan has criticized Western media for its “barbaric” portrayal of the Middle East, accusing outlets of reinforcing harmful stereotypes about the region while benefiting from its hospitality.
Piers Morgan slams Western media over stereotypes
The British broadcaster Piers Morgan launched a scathing attack on Western media coverage of the Middle East, accusing it of fueling damaging clichés while hypocritically enjoying the region’s generosity.
In a recent interview with Lana in Dubai, Morgan voiced frustration at what he described as a persistent narrative portraying Middle Eastern countries as backward and uncivilized.
Piers Morgan blasts ignorance and hypocrisy
“There’s this prevailing impression: ‘Aren’t they all just medieval barbarians in the Middle East?’ This often comes from people who’ve never even visited the region. It’s a myth that has gone on far too long,” he said. “It greatly irritates me that some of my friends in the English media enjoy their trips to sports events here, but before their planes even take off, they’re already writing the usual articles about how terrible it all is.”
The Piers Morgan Uncensored host didn’t hide his disdain for what he called media hypocrisy: “If it’s really that bad, why do they go? There’s a huge amount of hypocrisy, and a lot of ignorance, from people who simply haven’t been to the Middle East. What they write bears no relation to reality.”
Morgan says Middle East travel changed his view
Morgan’s defense of the region came after a personal experience — he spent the past three months traveling across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Dubai, witnessing what he described as a remarkable transformation.
“The energy, vitality, creativity, ambition, the scale of projects, the speed of delivery… it all makes you feel like you’re in a truly mesmerizing place,” he said. “It’s an experience that countries like mine could learn a lot from, where everything takes forever to get done.”
Morgan praises Dubai, compares it to the past
Morgan expressed particular amazement at Dubai’s transformation. He first visited in 2008 while filming a documentary for ITV, and upon returning 16 years later, he said the changes were “astonishing in every sense.”
His observations extended across the region: “I’ve seen what’s happened in Riyadh over the last seven or eight years — it’s incredible. Qatar, since hosting the World Cup, is buzzing with activity and progress. And Dubai is unrecognizable compared to when I first came, even though it was already changing rapidly back then.”
He concluded: “My country isn’t perfect. Honestly, I don’t think the UK is in any position to lecture others about how to run their lives.”
