Speaking up for refugees
Amanda Holden’s podcast puts the spotlight on Ukraine’s people
Radio presenter and TV star Amanda Holden has launched a podcast to draw attention to the plight of people in Ukraine fleeing the righting following Russia’s invasion of their country. And the Britain’s Got Talent judge has expressed her frustration with the UK Government over its handling of Ukrainian refugees attempting to enter the UK.
In the podcast series, Ukraine’s Hidden Voices, Holden has visited a refugee camp in Medyka, Poland, and spoken to families fleeing the war in Ukraine.
She described the lengthy and complicated process of entering the
UK as a refugee as “utterly ridiculous,” during an interview onITV’sGoodMorningBritain.
“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.
“So I felt quite cross about that.”
Speaking about the paperwork refugees must complete prior to being grantedentrytotheUK,Holdensaid: “My team an d I were all looking through the paperwork going ‘you’d h ave a job to fill out these forms’, and we are British, so it is an absolutelyappallingsituation.”
She added: “But obviously, she doesn’t want immigrants does she, Priti?”
Holden, who currently presents th e Heart Br eakfast radio show, caveated her comments, saying: “I’m not political, but it’s made me really cross.” Earlier, Holden explained thathermotivationforlaunchingherpodcastoriginallycame from an Instagram message she received from a mother in Ukraine, Kateryna Danno, who had been sheltering in a car park in Kyiv.
After speaking to families affectedbythewar,HoldendecidedtotraveltoPolandtovisit those who had fled Ukraine.
She said: “There was an American volunteer that we spoke to who said I should go out there and see it for myself and I thought, I’m talking to these people who are clearly distressed, very dis- placed, bewildered by the entire situation, from the comfort of Heart studios, and I should just go out there really and see it for myself.”
On her return to theUK,Holdensaid shespokecandidly to her two daugh- tersaboutthetrip.
“I just came home and I said to my own chil- dren, I can’t imagine what you and I would pack into a bag, how we would feel about leav- ing daddy behind, and then have to make a snap decision about what country we then want to go and live in,” she said. Holden concluded “I wanted to use this podcast to speak with mums, dads, sons and daughters about what is happening on the ground in Ukraine. At this time it’s vital that we don’t turn away, but we turn towards them and hear their stories and try to helpinany way we can. Their stories are so important.”
Ukraine’s Hidden Voices: www.global player.com/ podcasts/42KuSz.