‘Utterly ridiculous’: Amanda Holden tears into Priti Patel’s response to Ukrainian refugee crisis

‘I’m not political, but it’s made me really cross,’ the presenter said

Amanda Holden has lashed out at Home Secretary Priti Patel over the UK government’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

The radio and TV presenter has just returned from Medyka, Poland, where she was interviewing fleeing families entering the country from war-torn Ukraine for her new podcast, Ukraine's Hidden Voices.

Holden described the process of entering the UK as a refugee as “utterly ridiculous” while appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Tuesday 22 March.

“There was a Union Jack flag there and I spoke to the amazing volunteers from a charity who are trying to deal with it,” she said.

“But 35 pages of paperwork of which the first five questions are asking the refugees what their financial situation is, what their mortgage situation is, when they literally have a bag on their laps with all their possessions in.”

Holden went on criticise the home secretary directly, caveating that she was “not political, but it's made me really cross”.

“Priti Patel's winning, we're not going to be getting many people coming into our country, despite the fact 150,000 people have volunteered to open up their homes.”

Amanda Holden leaving Global Radio in London (PA)

Following Holden's interview, GMB presenter Martin Lewis read out a statement from the UK Government which said: “We are moving as quickly as possible to ensure those fleeing horrific persecution in Ukraine can find safety in the UK and our Homes for Ukraine scheme now allows those without family connections to come here.”