Piers Morgan has explained how he came to receive access to the Selhurst Park for Arsenal's Premier League trophy lift on Sunday.
The Gunners lifted a first Premier League trophy in 22 years on Sunday, having been crowned champions days before following Manchester City's failure to beat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to finish seven points clear of City and finally got their hands on a 14th English top flight title, with Martin Odeagard proudly hoisting the trophy in the air.
After a 30-minute delay and a change into their home shirts following Oliver Glasner's Palace farewell, Mikel Arteta's squad were soon in a in euphoric mood on the pitch near their travelling away fans.
Staunch Arsenal fan Morgan and his sons ended up on the pitch, taking pictures with a whole host of players and Arteta and even putting Declan Rice's Premier League winners' medal around his neck for a snap.
READ MORE:Fan captures exact moment Declan Rice finds out about West Ham's relegation
However, the controversial television personality gaining access for such a special occasion for Arsenal fans caused a huge stir - particularly given he has regularly called for Arteta to be given the boot in the past.
Morgan was bombarded with backlash on social media and replied to a whole of users. When one, @DarrenArsenal1 on X, defended him, he explained that he paid full price for Palace hospitality tickets back in March and was then invited to go pitch-side for the trophy lift.
The 61-year-old wrote: "Thanks Darren. To clarify, on March 4, I paid full price (£750 + VAT each) for 4 tickets to Palace’s very nice 2010 Club hospitality suite. Then we got invited into the boardroom, and offered the chance to go pitch-side for the trophy-lift.
"We feel very lucky. Thanks @CPFC."
After another Arsenal supporter slammed him for "using his wealth to elbow out those who go every week", prompting Morgan to respond: "The tickets I bought were available to anyone and I paid full price. And I pay full price for 4 season tickets, go to every Arsenal game when I am in England, and watch every Arsenal game when abroad. That qualify me as a proper fan?"
Morgan also addressed his picture with Rice and his medal, claiming that Rice initiated giving him the memento for a picture opportunity and not the other way round.
He stated: "I didn’t pay for Declan to run over and put his winner’s medal around my neck for a souvenir pic, that’s true. But I was thrilled that he did."
Arsenal players celebrated long into the night, as did thousands of fans who gathered at the Emirates Stadium.
The club have confirmed a historic parade around Islington on Sunday 31 May - a day on from the Champions League final against holders Paris Saint-Germain.
The event will go ahead irrespective of whether Arsenal finally become European champions for the first time in Budapest.