5 British people who have been fired and still succeeded

Our commiserations go out to Piers Morgan as we hear the British presenter, and his controversial views on gun-control, have been axed from CNN’s prime time slot following a slide in viewing figures. 

 

It may be a tad embarrassing but getting the old heave ho from a role certainly doesn’t spell disaster for anyone. In fact – Morgan sounds pretty confident he won’t even have to leave CNN: “That’s [Piers Morgan Tonight show] run its course and Jeff [Zucker, CNN president] and I have been talking for some time about different ways of using me,” Morgan told The New York Times. 

 

Well, whether Zucker sticks true to his word and gives Morgan something else to do or not, we’d just like to console Morgan with this list of other Brits who have faced the chop and come out laughing. 

 

 

Yes, that flame-haired funny man got fired from Virgin Radio for breach of contract after he failed to show up for the sixth day in a row. But look at him now – presenting the breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 – who even listens Virgin Radio anyway? 

 

 

The advertising mogul was ousted from his post as chairman of the company he and his brother Charles set up in 1970, Saatchi & Saatchi. Following shareholder pressure, the board sacked Maurice in 1994 but both brothers (and a few more Saatchi & Saatchi employees to boot) started a new ad company M&C Saatchi, which now has 25 offices worldwide.

 

 

The one-woman fashion powerhouse may be the editor in chief of Vogue now but she was once fired from Harper’s Bazaar after just nine months in the role. Apparently her shoots were too edgy. She now considers the incident her lucky break. 

 

 

Creator of the world’s most famous bespectacled wizard was once fired from her role as secretary for Amnesty International. Unsurprisingly she was always writing stories on the job. Worked out pretty well for her in the end though. 

 

 

Stephen Hester was pressured to step down from his role as chief executive of RBS in June 2012 (not strictly fired, but certainly encouraged) but the former banking boss has bounced back as chief executive of the RSA with a tasty £950,000 salary – he really does like acronyms starting with R doesn’t he.

 

 

 

This isn’t the first time the presenter has faced the chop. He was sacked as editor of the Daily Mirror in 2004 and, er, went on to have a sparkling career on the telly for many years…until now, and we’re pretty sure it’s not over yet.