Piers Morgan is to replace Larry King Photo: AP
The Britain's Got Talent judge and former newspaper editor is on the verge of signing a four-year contract to take over King's primetime show in the autumn.
He has built a profile in the US as a judge on America's Got Talent, which is made by rival network NBC. CNN executives were also impressed by his British chat show, Piers Morgan's Life Stories, in which he interviewed Gordon Brown.
King, 76, has reigned over American television for decades, with the Larry King Show first airing in 1985. However, his ratings for the first three months of this year fell to an all-time low of just 771,000 viewers, down 43 per cent in the last year.
Morgan is expected to quit his role on Britain's Got Talent and base himself permanently in the US. Simon Cowell has also indicated that he will not take part in the early audition stages of the talent show, leaving its future in some doubt.
Morgan is expected to quit his role on Britain's Got Talent and base himself permanently in the US. Simon Cowell has also indicated that he will not take part in the early audition stages of the talent show, leaving its future in some doubt.