Rylan Clark has said that he supports immigration in general but is strongly critical of what he sees as the UK’s handling of people arriving via illegal or irregular routes, especially small boats, and the way the system treats them once they arrive.

What Rylan actually said

  • On ITV’s This Morning , he said the UK is “built on immigration – legal immigration”, praising migrant nurses and doctors who helped save his mother’s life and “help this country thrive” by paying tax and working in key services.
  • In the same segment, he called it “absolutely insane” that people are risking their lives crossing the Channel and suggested it feels like they are simply told “welcome, come on in,” with hotels, phones, and other support waiting for them.
  • He contrasted this with UK citizens who are homeless or struggling, including veterans, arguing that “something major needs to be done” about the current situation.

His stance in his own words

  • After a backlash, he posted that “you can be pro immigration and against illegal routes,” trying to make clear he supports immigration but wants tougher control on how people come to the UK.
  • In the same message, he linked this to wider “culture war” debates, saying you can support trans people and respect women, or be heterosexual and support gay rights, and that people should “stop… putting everyone in a box” and talk instead of shouting online.

Why it caused controversy

  • Critics, including commentators on LBC and in other media, argued he echoed myths about asylum seekers being put up in “four‑star hotels” with extensive perks, saying he was spreading or repeating misinformation even if unintentionally.
  • The UK’s media regulator Ofcom received more than 500 complaints about the segment, and some commentators accused him of using rhetoric associated with hardline anti‑immigration politics, even as he insisted he is not anti‑immigrant.

Note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.