Rylan Clark Returns to This Morning 6 Months After
Rylan Clark This Morning return February 2026 Ofcom
Rylan Clark made a high-profile return to the ITV daytime program This Morning on Friday, February 6, 2026, marking his first appearance on the sofa in six months. The 37-year-old presenter joined longtime friend and former Big Brother colleague Emma Willis to fill in for the regular Friday duo, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary. His comeback follows a significant period of absence from the show after a live segment in August 2025 ignited a firestorm of controversy and prompted over 700 complaints to Ofcom. Viewers took to social media to share polarized reactions to his return, with many fans welcoming his “trademark energy” back to the screen while others remained vocal about the previous year’s dispute.
The controversy that led to Rylan’s temporary departure occurred during a news discussion on the August 27, 2025, episode. While debating mass deportation proposals, Rylan delivered an impassioned monologue about the UK’s immigration system. While he initially praised legal immigrants—noting that NHS doctors from overseas had “saved his mother’s life”—he sparked backlash by describing the handling of small boat arrivals as “insane.” He specifically claimed that asylum seekers were being “taken to four-star hotels” and provided with “iPads” and “three meals a day” upon arrival. Fact-checkers later clarified that while some hotels had been utilized, the Home Office does not provide electronic devices like iPads as a standard requirement.+3
Following the initial wave of 576 complaints, which eventually rose to 702, Rylan issued a statement on Instagram defending his right to a nuanced opinion. He argued that one could be “pro-immigration and against illegal routes” and urged the public to stop “putting everyone in a box.” Despite the online furor and calls for him to be sacked at the time, ITV appears to have signaled their continued support for the presenter by reinstating him for the February 2026 broadcast. During today’s episode, the atmosphere was notably lighter, with Rylan and Willis focusing on lifestyle segments and celebrity interviews rather than heavy political discourse.+1
Rylan’s return to This Morning coincides with a busy start to the year for the star, who recently jetted back from a winter holiday in the Maldives with his partner, Kennedy Bates. In addition to his ITV duties, he continues to host his popular BBC Radio 2 show and has teased new projects for the spring season. As the broadcasting regulator continues to monitor live discussions on sensitive topics, Rylan’s successful re-entry into daytime TV suggests that both he and the network are ready to move past the “Ofcom storm” of 2025. The pairing with Emma Willis was particularly well-received by the live audience, fueling ongoing speculation that the duo could be considered for a more permanent role in future presenter shake-ups.
