Piers Morgan's TV comeback splits opinion as Ricky Gervais and Amanda Holden make cameos on TalkTV show

Watch: Ricky Gervais introduces new Piers Morgan TalkTV show Uncensored

Piers Morgan made his return to TV last night with the launch of Piers Morgan Uncensored on new channel TalkTV - but viewers were divided over whether they were pleased to see him back, or unimpressed.

The controversial broadcaster stormed out of the Good Morning Britain studio in March last year after a row with Alex Beresford over Meghan Markle and later quit.

Read more: Piers Morgan accuses Nigel Farage of sabotaging his Donald Trump interview

He also handed over his ITV chat show Life Stories to Kate Garraway recently, but the debut of Rupert Murdoch's new TV channel on Monday evening saw Morgan back on screens.

In trailers for the show, Morgan promised to "annoy all the right people", but many of those tuning in were also annoyed - while others welcomed him back to interviewing and commentary.

Ricky Gervais and Amanda Holden were also among the celebrities making cameo appearances in Uncensored with videos wishing him luck.

Gervais said: "The producers of Piers Morgan's new show contacted me and asked me if I'd like to be a guest. I said definitely not.

"They said would you mind doing him a quick video wishing him luck? I said do I have to mean it? They said no. I said good luck."

Holden added: "Piers Morgan Uncensored - sounds like you might take your pants off or something. Please don't do that."

Morgan was pleased with his show debut, tweeting: "Amazing reaction to the launch of @PiersUncensored! Thanks so much for all the fantastic feedback. It’s a marathon not a sprint but couldn’t be prouder of the team for producing such a brilliant first show."

Read more: Piers Morgan says Sharon Osbourne's axe from The Talk was 'disgusting'

However, one viewer replied: "It was basically GB News but with people you've heard of, though that will probably change as the cupboard runs bare. A poor, amateurish production. I won't be watching again."

Someone else agreed: "Pound shop GB NEWS channel."

Another person wrote: "I'm getting tired of hearing Piers Morgan shouting..."

Someone else added: "Piers Morgan’s TV Talk debut was a big disappointment. All bluster and exaggerated claims about his own greatness. Definitely not Morgan at his incisive best."

But not everyone criticised the show - one fan tweeted: "Was absolutely fantastic can’t wait for more oh how we have missed him welcome back Piers Morgan."

Someone else wrote: "It was fantastic!!! And you hit the nail on the head about freedom of speech in the whole show especially the opening monologue."

Another viewer commented: "Great to have you back Piers. I’m sure there will be times that I won’t agree with you. But glad your back on TV. Great start. Xx"

Morgan has been promoting the show with a clip of an interview where former US president Donald Trump appears to storm out and TalkTV is also available to watch in the US and Australia.

But one unimpressed US viewer tweeted: "I don’t know what Piers Morgan even does, except that he’s not relevant to America...at ALL.."

Watch: Trump claims Johnson intervened to cancel Piers Morgan interview