Piers Morgan and Denise Welch in bitter Twitter exchange over the coronavirus pandemic

Piers Morgan and Denise Welch have exchanged a series of barbed posts on social media, in a feud which has seen the Good Morning Britain host brand the Loose Women star “dumb, deluded and dangerous”.

While Morgan has been very vocal in criticising the government’s handling of the pandemic, Welch believes it is time restrictions begin to be lifted.

The pair’s feud gathered speed after Welch appeared on This Morning, clashing with presenter Eamonn Holmes over current coronavirus restrictions.

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After the interview aired, Morgan tweeted: “Dumb, deluded and dangerous Covid-deniers like Denise Welch need to stop being given air time.

“Her idiotic, ill-informed ramblings - from woman who never stops telling us she suffers from mental illness - will cost lives by persuading people to think the virus isn't a threat.”

However, Welch wasn’t going to take the comments lying down, responding: “Please ask Mr Morgan to show me one tweet, one interview where I have denied Covid?

“He doesn’t want to be telling complete and utter lies with such a huge following. Seriously.”

Welch’s fellow Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha, leapt to her friend’s defence.

“I genuinely hope that neither @piersmorgan nor anyone he loves ever has to endure the pain of struggling with their mental health ... sending you the biggest of hugs @RealDeniseWelch a damn fine woman is what you are,” she wrote.

Morgan responded: “If I had a loved one suffering from mental illness, I would stop them going on TV to spout ill-informed nonsense about Covid no longer being a serious threat.”

It didn’t end there. Welch then tweeted: “Basically Piers Morgan setting the ‘it’s good to talk’ campaign back 20 yrs.

"Of cause [sic] people who have admitted to mental health issues are incapable of making rational decisions for themselves. Unbelievable!!!!"

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Sawalha then addressed Morgan again, saying: "What’s frustrating is when people’s opinions are dismissed or rubbished on the grounds of mental health issues alone - it’s a slippery slope ... have the argument @piersmorgan... just don’t attack on such a personal level ...

"Can you not be better than this ? @RealDeniseWelch."

Morgan responded: "Have you read or heard the torrent of abusive c**p Ms Welch aims my way?

“If you don’t want it back, don’t dish it out. And if you do dish it out, don’t hide behind ‘mental health’ when people respond.”