Atlanta radio host Big Tigger steps away from V-103 morning show to focus on family, legal matters

Atlanta radio personality Big Tigger says he's stepping away from his morning radio show as his personal life and ongoing legal matters continue to draw public attention.

Big Tigger, whose legal name is Darian Morgan, announced the decision in a statement posted to social media Sunday, saying he wants to focus on his family and allow his legal team to handle the matters surrounding him.

"For as long as I've been in this industry, my focus has always been to keep the spotlight on the culture and the incredible people I get to interview," Morgan wrote. "But right now, my personal life is in the public eye and has become the subject of overwhelming speculation and misinformation."

Morgan said he is stepping away from "The Big Tigger Morning Show" on V-103 while he addresses those issues. He denied any wrongdoing.

The announcement comes less than a week after his co-host, Francesca Amiker, filed a federal defamation lawsuit against Morgan's wife, Alicia Brown.

According to the lawsuit, filed June 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Brown made or directed social media posts that falsely claimed Amiker had an affair with Morgan and suggested her relationship with him helped her secure her job at V-103.

Amiker denies the allegations. The complaint says she and Morgan are professional colleagues who began working together when she joined the morning show in May.

The lawsuit also alleges Brown posted an Instagram video showing an apparent facial injury while tagging Amiker's account, falsely implying Amiker was responsible for Brown's injuries or connected to violence against her.

Amiker alleges the posts damaged her reputation, subjected her to harassment and threats, and caused her to lose professional opportunities. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorney's fees and a jury trial.

Morgan's announcement also comes weeks after he was arrested by the Sandy Springs Police Department and booked into the Fulton County Jail on June 20.

According to jail records, Morgan was charged with aggravated battery and third-degree cruelty to children. He was released the same day on bond. The charges stem from an alleged incident on June 9.

Morgan has denied wrongdoing. The criminal case remains pending.