Piers Morgan slaps lifetime ban on Heather Mills

Piers Morgan has banned Heather Mills from ever appearing on his new CNN show Tonight.

The former Britain's Got Talent judge expressed regret over introducing the "goldigger" to his friend Paul McCartney and said that as an apology he would ban her from his show for life.

McCartney and Mills were married in 2002 but separated in 2006 and divorced in 2008.

Piers gave an insight into Paul's views on his divorce, saying: "As Paul puts it to his close friends, 'Thanks, Piers, you cost me 50 million dollars."'

After taking the helm from Larry King on CNN, Morgan has been praised by critics for his interpid interview technique, but shock jock Howard Stern warned him about becoming too confident. He said: "'You've got a lot to prove here...To conquer England takes about two days. America is something else.'

Meanwhile as posters promoting the show dominated New York's Times Square one passer-by expressed confusion. He commented: "What kind of parent would name their child Piers? I'm supposed to watch somebody named Piers? Are you serious?"