SUSANNA Reid has defended Rylan Clark over his recent immigration comments on Good Morning Britain.
The presenter, 36, made the comments during a lively debate on the ITV show last week, admitting “I’m going to upset someone”.
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Alongside co-host Josie Gibson, Rylan was discussing Reform UK leader Nigel Farage‘s latest plans for mass deportations.
Rylan heaped praise on “legal migration” in the country, pointing to the medical staff who helped save his mother, Linda.
But he went on to highlight his concerns at the waves of undocumented migrants entering the country via small boats.
However, Rylan faced social media backlash after his comments and GMB panelist Kevin Maguire accused him without evidence of “regurgitating terrible myths”.
But Susanna Reid quickly leapt to the defence of the former X-factor star after Maguire blasted Rylan.
Interrupting Maguire, Susanna replied: “Hang on. He pointed out that this country is built on immigration and he was grateful to all of the migrants who have come to the NHS for helping support his mum.
“He was actually concerned, though, that we’ve got a sort of welcome to the UK, and we don’t know who all of these people are.”
Reid said she thinks “it is the duty of the government, as the government itself would acknowledge, that we control borders and we do not just welcome everybody if we don’t know who they are”, adding that Rylan did not want to share an anti-migration message.
Maguire replied: “He also regurgitated a load of myths and lies. Let’s not ignore that. Myths and lies have gone mainstream, and we’ve got to challenge that, we’ve got to push back on that.”
Reid disagreed with Maguire’s claim that Rylan was ”regurgitating propaganda” and continued to defend the 36-year-old.
During the discussion with guests Camilla Tominey and Tim Campbell last week, Rylan fumed that the Government were “welcoming in” migrants.
He said: “How come if I turn up at Heathrow Airport and I’ve left my passport in Spain, I’ve got to stand at that airport and won’t be let in.
“But if I arrive on a boat from Calais, I get taken to a four-star hotel?
“I find it absolutely insane that all these people are risking their lives coming across the Channel like they are.
“But when they get here, it seems, ‘welcome, come on in’.
