This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/28/piers-morgan-phone-hacking-charlotte-church

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Piers Morgan phone-hacking conversation to air on Channel 4 Piers Morgan phone-hacking conversation to air on Channel 4
(about 1 hour later)
Footage of former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan telling Charlotte Church how "a spate of stories" resulted from the hacking of mobile phones will be broadcast in a Channel 4 documentary presented by Hugh Grant.Footage of former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan telling Charlotte Church how "a spate of stories" resulted from the hacking of mobile phones will be broadcast in a Channel 4 documentary presented by Hugh Grant.
The conversation will feature in Taking on the Tabloids, a documentary on the future regulation of the press presented by Grant, who is fronting Hacked Off's campaign for stricter regulation of the press. Taking on the Tabloids will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 8pm on Wednesday night.The conversation will feature in Taking on the Tabloids, a documentary on the future regulation of the press presented by Grant, who is fronting Hacked Off's campaign for stricter regulation of the press. Taking on the Tabloids will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 8pm on Wednesday night.
Church's conversation with Morgan was filmed in 2003, when the then 17-year-old singer was invited to address the Oxford Union where she called for a privacy law to protect under-18s.Church's conversation with Morgan was filmed in 2003, when the then 17-year-old singer was invited to address the Oxford Union where she called for a privacy law to protect under-18s.
She was interviewing Morgan, who has always denied involvement in, or knowledge of, phone hacking at the Daily Mirror, for the university event, when he got chatting about the sources of celebrity stories.She was interviewing Morgan, who has always denied involvement in, or knowledge of, phone hacking at the Daily Mirror, for the university event, when he got chatting about the sources of celebrity stories.
Morgan told her: "There was a spate of stories that came out because of mobile phones. When they first came out, mobile phones … journalists found out that if the celebrity hadn't changed their pin code … You can access, access their voicemail. Just by tapping in a number. Are you really telling me that journalists aren't going to do that? If they know they can ring up Charlotte Church's mobile phone, listen to all her messages?"Morgan told her: "There was a spate of stories that came out because of mobile phones. When they first came out, mobile phones … journalists found out that if the celebrity hadn't changed their pin code … You can access, access their voicemail. Just by tapping in a number. Are you really telling me that journalists aren't going to do that? If they know they can ring up Charlotte Church's mobile phone, listen to all her messages?"
Morgan added: "Right, now all you have to do – and I know it's hard because celebrities don't like doing anything for themselves – is actually change your security number." Morgan added: "Right, now all you have to do – and I know it's hard because celebrities don't like doing anything for themselves – is actually change your security number."
In February this year, Church and her parents won £600,000 in damages and costs from News International for News of the World phone hacking, harassment and unlawfully obtaining medical records of her and her mother after the latter attempted suicide.In February this year, Church and her parents won £600,000 in damages and costs from News International for News of the World phone hacking, harassment and unlawfully obtaining medical records of her and her mother after the latter attempted suicide.
In response to the Channel 4 programme, Piers Morgan said: "As I wrote in my book, The Insider, and as I reiterated at the Leveson inquiry, I was warned in 2001 about the practice of phone hacking, after a series of stories about me appeared in the press relating to a DTI share-tipping investigation and I couldn't work out where they had come from. I passed on that warning to others."
Earlier this year, Jeremy Paxman revealed at the Leveson inquiry that Morgan had once described to him how to hack into a mobile phone at a lunch held at the headquarters of the Daily Mirror publisher.Earlier this year, Jeremy Paxman revealed at the Leveson inquiry that Morgan had once described to him how to hack into a mobile phone at a lunch held at the headquarters of the Daily Mirror publisher.
Paxman told the Leveson inquiry how he went to a lunch hosted by Sir Victor Blank, the then chairman of Trinity Mirror, held on 20 September 2002, where the subject of phone hacking came up.Paxman told the Leveson inquiry how he went to a lunch hosted by Sir Victor Blank, the then chairman of Trinity Mirror, held on 20 September 2002, where the subject of phone hacking came up.
At the same lunch, according to Paxman, Morgan teased TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson about the details of private conversations she had had with Sven-Göran Eriksson, at the time the England football manager.At the same lunch, according to Paxman, Morgan teased TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson about the details of private conversations she had had with Sven-Göran Eriksson, at the time the England football manager.
Paxman said: "He then turned to me and said: 'Have you got a mobile phone?', I said: 'Yes', and he said: 'Have you got a security setting on the message bit of it?' Paxman said: "He then turned to me and said: 'Have you got a mobile phone?', I said: 'Yes', and he said: 'Have you got a security setting on the message bit of it?'
"I don't think it was called voicemail in those days, I didn't know what he was talking about. He then explained that the way to get access to people's message was to go to the factory default setting and press either 0000 or 1234 and that if you didn't put on your own code … his words: 'you're a fool'.""I don't think it was called voicemail in those days, I didn't know what he was talking about. He then explained that the way to get access to people's message was to go to the factory default setting and press either 0000 or 1234 and that if you didn't put on your own code … his words: 'you're a fool'."
Paxman added: "I don't know whether he was making this up, making up the conversation, but it was clearly something that he was familiar with and I wasn't … I didn't know that this went on."Paxman added: "I don't know whether he was making this up, making up the conversation, but it was clearly something that he was familiar with and I wasn't … I didn't know that this went on."
Under oath at the Leveson inquiry, Morgan repeatedly denied any knowledge of phone hacking at the Daily Mirror, saying he "had no reason or knowledge to believe it was going on" during his 10-year stint as editor. Under oath at the Leveson inquiry, Morgan repeatedly denied any knowledge of phone hacking at the Daily Mirror, saying he "had no reason or knowledge to believe it was going on" during his 10-year stint as editor.
In a series of tense exchanges, the inquiry's lead counsel, Robert Jay QC, pressed Morgan to provide more details about who had played him a voicemail left for Sir Paul McCartney's former wife Heather Mills.In a series of tense exchanges, the inquiry's lead counsel, Robert Jay QC, pressed Morgan to provide more details about who had played him a voicemail left for Sir Paul McCartney's former wife Heather Mills.
Morgan refused four times, saying on each occasion that he could not risk identifying a source. "I can't discuss where I was played that tape or who played it, because to do so would be to compromise a source, and I can't do that," he said.Morgan refused four times, saying on each occasion that he could not risk identifying a source. "I can't discuss where I was played that tape or who played it, because to do so would be to compromise a source, and I can't do that," he said.
Morgan, who now works as a CNN chatshow host, had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.