Rylan Clark has announced it’s his “last day” on This Morning, marking the end of his summer run alongside Josie Gibson as he filled in for Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.

The former X Factor star opened Friday’s (August 29) show by saying, “Last day today!” prompting Josie, who looked visibly tired after the busy week, to laugh: “What a week!”

The pair quickly became fan favourites on the famous blue sofa, joining the summer rota of guest presenters such as Dermot O’Leary, Joel Dommett, and Emma Willis.

But their week was far from smooth. Rylan found himself at the centre of heated discussions after wading into a debate on immigration during Wednesday’s show. Speaking about Nigel Farage’s controversial proposal to deport thousands of illegal migrants, Rylan said: “This country is built on immigration. Legal immigration. They’re in our tax system, they’re helping our country thrive. I find it absolutely insane that all these people are, one, risking their lives to come across the Channel. And, two, when they get here, it does seem like: ‘Welcome. Come on in. Here’s the hotel, here’s the phones, here’s the iPads’. And then there’s people who have lived here all their lives. They are struggling. I believe that something major needs to be done about this.”

After the backlash, he defended himself online, writing: “You can be pro immigration and against illegal routes. You can support trans rights and have the utmost respect for women. You can be heterosexual and still support gay rights. The list continues.”

Despite the controversy, viewers have flooded social media with pleas for Rylan and Josie to stay. One fan tweeted: “Such a pleasure to watch this week with Rylan & Josie. Keep this format or I’m off!” Another wrote: “Please can we keep Rylan/Josie on here? I won’t be watching come next week.”

A third fan admitted: “I haven’t really watched This Morning for years, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised this week. Loving Rylan and Josie, well done both. Lovely pairing, both genuine, caring, and funny.”