Click here to watch Piers Morgan's win

Former tabloid editor Piers Morgan has beaten American country singer Trace Adkins to win the US TV show Celebrity Apprentice.

But his crowning by Donald Trump last night came at a cost. While American viewers fell in love with the mild-mannered Adkins, Morgan’s ruthless performance on the show made him the object of wide-spread hatred.

Following his win, which secured $250,000 for the charity Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, broadcaster NBC’s website was flooded by viewers agreeing Morgan earned his win, but expressing disgust at his tactics and personality.

“He used so many people, was so rude, and just a coward!” posted one.

“He was hateful and mean, he is not a nice person!” wrote another.

Newspaper columnists were no more charitable. Boston Herald writer Amy Amatangelo described Morgan, 42, as the “boorish Brit”, while, in an article entitled ‘Relative unknown wins Celebrity Apprentice’, MSNBC journalist Caitlin Johnson wondered how he had made it onto the show as he was “not a genuine celebrity.”

Even Trump, known for his ruthless business practices, called the onetime Daily Mirror editor ‘evil’ throughout the high-rating three-month-long series, and billed last night’s final as a battle of ‘good versus evil’.

Announcing Morgan the winner, Trump said: “You’re a vicious guy, I’ve seen it… You’re tough, you’re smart, you’re probably brilliant, I’m not sure, you’re certainly not diplomatic but you did an amazing job and you beat the hell out of everybody.”

Morgan raised $500,000 for charity during the show, but was accused of having an advantage over his fellow contestants because of his impressive rolodex of British celebrities. Music producer and American Idol host Simon Cowell donated to Morgan’s campaign by offering $100,000 for a shopping trip with Trump’s daughter Ivanka, while the Duchess of York allowed Morgan to auction an afternoon tea with her.

However, Morgan’s supporters have said he was the victim of Apprentice spin-doctoring and was simply cast in the ‘evil’ role while Adkins was awarded the part of hero.

Morgan was famously fired from the Daily Mirror in 2004 after publishing photos of Iraqi prisoners apparently being abused. The shots were later exposed as fakes.

He has since appeared as a judge on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent and written his memoirs.

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