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Former England captain Kevin Pietersen’s exile from cricket after 2014 was brief in international terms but reportedly devastating for his legacy. He played a one-off Test comeback in 2015, and in 2018 he retired after a 13-year career marked by 8,463 Test runs and a record 23 centuries. The retirement saga of Pietersen started a beef-up between former England captain Sir Alastair Cook and broadcaster Piers Morgan, with the latter reportedly labelling Cook as a “repulsive little weasel” in a social media tirade.
However, in a surprising turn of events Piers Morgan has issued a heartfelt apology to former England captain Sir Alastair Cook, more than a decade after their reported beef on social media. The reconciliation unfolded on the latest episode of the Stick to Cricket podcast, hosted by former England captain Michael Vaughan with Phil Tufnell, David “Bumble” Lloyd and Cook as co-hosts.
“I have to admit I was very full on against you personally, without knowing you,” Morgan confessed, drawing chuckles from the panelists. He further added, “And when I look back at some of the things I tweeted about you, I know you're not on social media, but I did go over the top. So, I will take this opportunity. I'm sorry for the 38 weasel references.” Cook, who retired in 2018 as England's highest Test run-scorer with 12,472 runs, accepted the apology with characteristic grace. “No hard feelings, Piers. We've both moved on,” he replied.
The beef between Piers Morgan and Sir Alastair Cook traces back to 2014 after England’s 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia
The beef-up traces back to February 2014, following England’s 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, reportedly Piers Morgan's close friend, was axed from the England setup amid allegations of disloyalty and a fractured dressing room. Pietersen reportedly fired back in his autobiography 'KP: The Autobiography', accusing coach Andy Flower of fostering a “bullying culture” and reportedly claiming Sir Alastair Cook had failed to support him.
The fallout divided the cricket world, with Pietersen's supporters reportedly launching a vicious online campaign against the ECB hierarchy. A post by Morgan, dated February 4, 2014, read: “As for you Alastair Cook – what a repulsive little weasel you've turned out to be. Aside from worst ever Ashes tour captain. #KPSacked.” It was the first of many barbs. Over the next few years, Morgan reportedly escalated the rhetoric, dubbing Cook “Captain Clueless,” “Captain Coward,” and “The Gutless Weasel.” In one April 2014 tweet, he mocked: “‘It took guts to axe Kevin Pietersen’ - Alastair Cook... Er no, you gutless little weasel, it took utter cowardice.”
Fast-forward to 2025, and time appears to have softened edges. On the podcast, Morgan reflected, “Me and Alastair fell out without ever meeting because I still feel that the whole thing was just really badly handled with Kevin Pietersen.” He praised Cook's batting prowess saying, “as an opening batsman for England, very few people could compare with Alastair Cook’s record, and I have great respect for that", before delivering the apology. Cook, now 40 and a Sky Sports pundit, reciprocated by sharing light-hearted anecdotes from his career, steering clear of grudges.
