“They’ve got no intention of going back."
Former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp claimed Britain has become “overrun” with illegal migrants, while describing his hometown Bournemouth as resembling a “third-world country”.
Redknapp made the comments during an interview with TalkTV, as he reacted to images of migrants attempting to cross into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta.
Around 60,000 Moroccans have crossed into the Spanish enclave, overwhelming border guards and prompting Spain to deploy its military to help restore control of the border.
At least 43 people died during the crossing, which followed a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta could not be immediately returned to Morocco.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as an “attack”, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the unfolding crisis was “concerning” and vowed to provide support to the Spanish government.
Speaking with Jeremy Kyle, Redknapp claimed migrants crossing into Europe would eventually make their way to the UK because they know it as “the land of milk and honey”.
He said: “What amazes me when I watch all them pictures, they’re all young blokes.
“Where are the women? Is there no women?
“They’ve got no intention of going back. They make their way here. They know this is the land of milk and honey.
“So we accept it all and it’s getting overrun. This country’s overrun. I live in Bournemouth and Bournemouth town centre is absolutely gone.
“I had some friends come down the other week, and they said they thought we were in a third-world country.
“I mean, walking down the old Christchurch road down that way now, it’s sad how it’s gone.”
Harry Redknapp is not the only football personality to have voiced their thoughts on immigration.
?”We’re OVERRUN”
Premier League legendary manager Harry Redknapp reacts to the migrant raid on Ceuta and says Britain is completely overrun with illegal migrants.@jkyleofficial pic.twitter.com/gmBGPglogU
— Talk (@TalkTV) July 31, 2026
After Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe called for the deportation of benefit-claiming migrants, ex-Chelsea players John Terry and Dennis Wise appeared to back the calls.
In 2025, Harry Redknapp faced criticism after footage emerged showing him appearing to make a Nazi salute while describing England manager Thomas Tuchel as a “German spy”.
At an event in London, Redknapp said: “I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy.
“I’m telling you. Seriously, he’s been sent over to f**k us up. He has. I’m telling ya, he’s like Lord Haw-Haw in the war – ‘We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.”
Redknapp later attempted to clarify the comments, insisting they were a “joke that badly backfired”.
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