Outspoken pop star Morrissey has reignited his war-of-words with US TV host Jimmy Kimmel, branding him a "hypocrite" for becoming emotional over the controversial death of Cecil the lion.
The pair fell out in 2013 when the former The Smiths frontman scrapped a planned appearance on chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live! when he discovered his fellow guests would include the cast of reality series Duck Dynasty.
Morrissey, a vocal animal rights campaigner, branded the bird-hunting family "serial killers" but the comments provoked a response from Kimmel, who mocked the singer on air and told viewers, "He keeps finding new ways to depress us."
The pair continued to trade verbal blows in the days that followed, and now Morrissey has stoked the row after Kimmel choked back tears on his show as he discussed the controversial shooting of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe.
In a statement, Morrissey writes, "It is all very well for Jimmy Kimmel to 'almost break down' on live television whilst reporting the murder of Cecil The Lion, but Kimmel is also a defender of Duck Dynasty, and he is unable to spot his own hypocrisy."
The killing of Cecil hit headlines around the world last month when it was alleged US dentist Walter Palmer illegally shot the beast after it was lured out of a protected zone. Authorities in Zimbabwe are reportedly seeking to extradite Palmer and put him on trial.
WENN.com
