Piers Morgan caused controversy earlier this week after suggesting on social media that Ariana Grande should be making like the Queen and visiting her fans in hospital following the bombing of her concert on Monday, which resulted in the deaths of 22 and hospitalisation of 119 people.
Last night Ariana broke her silence to issue a heartfelt statement to her fans – and the world.
She announced that she would be returning to the brave city of Manchester to play a concert, proceeds of which would go to the families affected by the terror attack.
Piers sent one message directly to the One Last Time singer, telling her this was a “good move”.
When one pop fan the said to him: “Ariana’s coming back to help raise money and see her fans. You happy?”, he replied: “Yes. It is the right thing to do.”
However, there was no way he was about to say sorry for calling her out so publicly.
When someone suggested he should apologise for his earlier criticisms, he said: “Apologise for what? I suggested she should do something she is now going to do.”
On Friday night, Ariana posted a lengthy message on Twitter.
The pop singer, who left the Manchester Arena stage moments before the suicide bomber attacked, told her fans: “Our response to this violence must be to come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before.
“I’ll be returning to the incredibly brave city of Manchester to spend time with my fans and to have a benefit concert in honour of and to raise money for the victims and their families.”
Indicating that she may not be the only artist performing at the gig, she added: “I want to thank my fellow musicians and friends for reaching out to be a part of our expression of love for Manchester.
“I will have details to share with you as soon as everything is confirmed.”
She opened her letter by saying: “My heart, prayers and deepest condolences are with the victims of the Manchester Attack and their loved ones.
“There is nothing I or anyone can do to take away the pain you are feeling or to make this better.
“However, I extend my hand and heart and everything I possibly can give to you and yours, should you want or need my help in any way.”
The superstar then urged her fans to “choose how we let this affect us and how we live our lives from here on out.”
Ariana wrote: “I have been thinking of my fans, and of you all, non stop over the past week.
“The way you have handled all of this has been more inspiring and made me more proud than you’ll ever know.
“The compassion, kindness, love, strength and oneness that you’ve shown one another this past week is the exact opposite of the heinous intentions it must take to pull off something as evil as what happened Monday.
‘YOU are the opposite.”
Grande added: “We will never be able to understand why events like this take place because it is not in our nature, which is why we shouldn’t recoil.
“We will not quit or operate in fear. We won’t let this divide us. We won’t let hate win.”
She also paid tribute to the diverse audiences she plays to around the world.
Grande wrote: “When you look into the audience at my shows, you see a beautiful, diverse, pure, happy crowd.
“Thousands of people, incredibly different, all there for the same reason, music.”
Grande went on to say: “We will continue in honor of the ones we lost, their loved ones, my fans and all affected by this tragedy.
“They will be on my mind and in my heart everyday and I will think of them with everything I do for the rest of my life.”
She signed off, simply, “Ari.”