Why do British celebrities go to Oprah first? We need our own TV therapist

Oprah Winfrey has sat down with everybody from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston, writes Charlotte Cripps. It’s frustrating she gets all the UK exclusives

Adele is the latest British celebrity to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey (CBS)

Britney Spears is now saying she may take after Meghan Markle/Prince Harry and Adele and sit down with Oprah Winfrey for a tell-all interview. For journalists, we wait with bated breath and then cover it with tons of news stories and run features reporting on the juiciest revelations.

In British singer Adele’s case, she spilled the beans on divorce, weight loss and parenthood to the US talk show, as part of a two-hour special on CBS America last week.

But, as a UK journalist, I can’t help but wonder why the Brits all go to Oprah? Does this mean we need a UK Oprah? Piers Morgan isn’t really the same deal. Would you want to sit down with him for one of these highly confessional and emotionally charged interviews?

I do find it slightly irksome that Oprah gets the UK exclusives.

She’s the go-to TV therapist. Over her 25-year career, she has sat down with everybody from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston.

Who can forget Tom Cruise jumping on the sofa during his 2005 Oprah interview shouting, “I’m in love” about his romance with Katie Holmes?

Meghan and Harry weren’t the first UK royals to confide in Oprah. Sarah Ferguson spoke to the US chat show host in 1996 – just after her divorce from Prince Andrew was made official.

She spoke about life within the Firm and the media’s treatment of Princess Diana. The tabloids “have tried to kill her,” said Oprah. Fergie replied: “The British press is cruel, abusive, and so invasive.”

Could this explain why UK stars and royalty flock across the pond to Oprah? Who knows, but I think there is a job vacancy here.

Yours,

Charlotte Cripps

Culture writer