Rylan Clark has hit back with a powerful statement after sparking fierce debate on This Morning when he praised migrants for saving his mum Linda’s life.
The TV presenter, 35, had been at his mother’s hospital bedside only weeks ago when he returned to the ITV show on Wednesday. He told viewers: “This country is built on immigration. Legal immigration — a lot of the nurses, the doctors that have saved my mum’s life have come over here from other countries. They’re paying into this tax system, they’re helping this country thrive.”
But Rylan also questioned the government’s handling of small boat crossings, saying: “I find it absolutely insane that people are risking their lives coming across the Channel, and yet the narrative seems to be ‘welcome, come on in’. They’re being put up in hotels with meals and even games rooms. Meanwhile, we’ve got homeless people, veterans living on the streets. Something major needs to be done.”
Later, facing a wave of both praise and backlash, Rylan turned to Instagram to clarify his stance. “You can be pro immigration and against illegal routes. You can support trans people and have the utmost respect for women. You can be heterosexual and still support gay rights. Stop putting everyone in a box and start having conversations instead of shouting on Twitter.”
He went on to criticise the double standards of border control: “How can it be that if I turn up at Heathrow Airport without my passport I won’t be let in, but if I arrive on a small boat I’m taken to a four-star hotel?”
The row comes as anti-immigration protests intensify across the UK, with counter-demonstrations from anti-racism groups. A recent High Court ruling ordered migrants to be removed from a hotel in Essex after residents complained, while protests elsewhere turned violent, leaving 16 people charged.
Rylan, who had recently cancelled work commitments while caring for his ill mum, ended on a note of gratitude: “Thank you to the emergency team at Princess Alexandra Hospital. Especially Tanya who really looked after my mum. She’s on the mend — she’s a trooper.”
