Morrissey has launched a fresh public attack on Johnny Marr, criticising an upcoming BBC documentary about The Smiths in a strongly worded post that has since been deleted.
The former frontman took aim at the programme after it was described as being “critical in nature” towards him, posting his remarks on his website Morrissey Central.
In the post, Morrissey dismissed the documentary as a “timeworn story”, accusing Marr of dominating the narrative around the band.
He wrote: “Marr grabs center stage as the unchanging face of discord … and Bigmarr Strikes Again”.
Morrissey went on to claim that Marr had deliberately split The Smiths fanbase and suggested legal disputes over the band’s name were part of a wider personal agenda.
Johnny Marr. Ben Houdijk, Shutterstock
He wrote: “Marr has intentionally divided the Smiths audience into Marr or Morrissey factions; he has legally claimed the Smiths trade mark name as his – knowing full well that the name was devised by Morrissey.”
The singer also alleged that Marr had spent years acting against him, adding: “He has devoted his entire life to killing Morrissey in whatever way available.”
Morrissey additionally criticised producer Grant Showbiz, describing comments attributed to him in the documentary as “slanderous”.
The post was later removed from Morrissey’s website, but screenshots of the comments have circulated widely online.
The BBC has not yet publicly responded to Morrissey’s remarks, and the documentary’s broadcast date has not been confirmed.
Tensions between Morrissey and Johnny Marr have remained strained for years following the break-up of The Smiths in 1987, with both musicians frequently exchanging criticism in interviews and public statements since.
