Rival breakfast show hosts Dan Walker and Piers Morgan have become embroiled in a Twitter spat over the popularity of their programmes.

BBC Breakfast anchor Dan, who replaced veteran broadcaster Bill Turnbull as the co-presenter of the programme last year, began the day innocently enough by asking viewers if they were up.

Dan Walker (Yui Mok/PA)
Dan Walker (Yui Mok/PA)

But when Good Morning Britain co-presenter Piers, 51, replied that the audience were tuned into his ITV show, things got a little heated.

Dan, 39, wrote on Twitter:

Piers replied:

Dan, who is a devout Christian and has a background in BBC Sport, told him he was purveying fake news.

Piers posted a screenshot of Walker with the wrong caption underneath in which he had been incorrectly given the name of fellow broadcaster Charlie Stayt.

To which Dan signed off:

Piers presents Good Morning Britain with Susanna Reid while Dan co-hosts BBC Breakfast on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Louise Minchin.