Television presenter Rylan Clark has been officially cleared by broadcasting regulator Ofcom following a controversial segment on ITV's This Morning that sparked viewer complaints about its coverage of immigration.
The incident occurred during the show's 'Ask the Experts' feature in October 2023, where Clark fielded questions from the audience. When a viewer inquired about the legal methods for relatives to immigrate to the UK, Clark appropriately directed the question to an immigration lawyer present on the panel.
Despite the segment providing factual legal information, Ofcom received complaints from viewers who felt the discussion was 'harmful' and 'offensive.' The regulator launched an investigation to determine whether the programme violated broadcasting rules.
In their recently published ruling, Ofcom dismissed all complaints, stating: "The programme included a discussion between the presenters and a legally qualified expert on the requirements for family members of British citizens to immigrate to the UK legally."
The regulator further emphasised that "the conversation was focused on the legal pathways and requirements for immigration, rather than on illegal immigration or on making value judgements about immigration policies."
Ofcom concluded that the segment provided valuable information to viewers seeking to understand legal immigration processes and did not contain any material that could be considered harmful or offensive under the Broadcasting Code.
The ruling represents a validation of the programme's approach to discussing complex and sometimes sensitive topics in a factual, informative manner with qualified experts.
