Piers Morgan has been compared to documentary maker Louis Theroux by viewers of the breakfast presenter’s latest late night series.

The former tabloid journalist interviewed convicted murderer Mark Riebe on Thursday night’s Serial Killer With Piers Morgan on ITV.

As Morgan confronted Riebe towards the end of the interview over withdrawn confessions to the murder of 13 women along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the jailed man walked out telling him: “This is over, I answered your questions.”

The presenter told him: “I don’t believe you, I think you are a serial killer, I think you did kill these women.”

But viewers on Twitter bemoaned his interviewing style and said prolific filmmaker Theroux should have done the documentary.

He was labelled a “tactless moron” by one user, @Joefish__, who said the programme “made me realise once again, how terrific Louis Theroux is at his job”.

@Theonlymrhinson tweeted: “Louis is the best without a doubt. Piers is predictable. We all knew he was going to go for a confession once he had the film for a hour programme.”

@JimmyBernabeu wrote: “Very unprofessional from Piers Morgan, you’d never see Louis Theroux doing something like that…. Stick to breakfast shows.”

@WarringtonLewis posted: “Piers Morgan is the worst interviewer. Constantly over talks everyone. Ruins every interview. @ITV get your purse out and get Louis Theroux. He would have made it good programme.”

@KabukiRune tweeted: “I wish Louis Theroux was interviewing on #SerialKiller #ITV Piers has no tact. You can’t just treat a serial killer like a regular interviewee.”

@ellenxclarke wrote: “Piers Morgan is VILE !!! Louis Theroux should of done this documentary.”

@Eleni_Zeononos wrote: “Get @louistheroux if you want to do this right. Only watched 10 minutes and turned the TV off. Painful to watch. Unfortunately it seems Piers can’t interview anyone, let alone a serial killer without pissing them off.”

Morgan took the criticism on the chin as he replied to one user telling him to learn from Theroux.

The Good Morning Britain host replied: “I’m always keen to improve, I’ve only been doing it 32 years. Do you do interviewer workshops, @louistheroux?”

Riebe, 56, is serving life in Florda’s maximum security prison, Blackwater, for the murder of Donna Callahan, 29, on August 6 1989.