Gary Lineker thanks refugees for 'bringing fish and chips to Britain' in bizarre video voiced by Jo Brand and Yasmin Kadi - as he reveals why he is inviting a migrant to come and live in his Surrey mansion
- Lineker appears in video for International Rescue Committee aid organisation
- BBC's highest paid employee says he has no fears about welcoming a stranger
- He said social media has made us 'toxic' and yearns for the days of pub debate
PUBLISHED: 00:08 BST, 3 September 2020 | UPDATED: 13:47 BST, 3 September 2020
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Gary Lineker has narrated a new video to thank immigrants for bringing fish and chips to Britain as he welcomed a refugee to live in his £4million Surrey mansion.
The BBC Match of the Day presenter appeared in the video for the International Rescue Committee humanitarian aid group with the voice of comedian Jo Brand.
Also featuring as a voiceover in the clip which told the story of the famous British dish through animation was singer Yasmin Kadi, who fled Sierra Leone as a refugee.
Gary thanks refugees for 'bringing fish and chips to Britain'
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Gary Lineker has narrated a video to thank immigrants for bringing fish and chips to Britain
Gary Lineker is pictured at his home in Barnes, South West London. The Match of the Day presenter is set to welcome a refugee to live in his £4million Surrey mansion
Voiceovers in the video for the International Rescue Committee aid group include comedian Jo Brand (left) and singer Yasmin Kadi (right), who fled Sierra Leone as a refugee
The clip referred to the origins of fried fish as being brought to Britain by Jewish refugees who fled persecution in Spain and Portugal during the 16th century.
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It also revealed that Huguenot French protestants fleeing religious persecution in the 17th century are believed to have brought chips to East London in the 17th century.
History of fish and chips in UK, according to the International Rescue Committee
The fried fish
Fried fish was likely brought to the UK by Spanish and Portuguese refugees during the 16th century. At the time, Jews were facing religious persecution across Portugal and Spain and many resettled here in the UK, bringing their culinary delicacies with them.
The dish of white fish, typically cod or haddock, was fried in a thin coat of flour. Its name? 'Pescado frito', a particular favourite of Sephardic Jews, who fried it on Fridays to prepare for the Sabbath. The batter was supposed to preserve the fish so it could be eaten cold the following day.,
The fish prepared 'in the Jewish fashion,' as Thomas Jefferson called it, grew so popular in London it could be found sold on the streets any time of day.
The chips
Although the potato first made its appearance in Europe about 1570, there is an ongoing debate between the French and Belgians over which one of the nations decided to fry potatoes to create the glorious chip. It is thought that the potato was first fried as a substitute for nutritious fish when rivers froze over in the winter.
French protestants, fleeing religious persecution in the 17th century, known as Huguenots, might have brought their taste for fried potato with them to the UK, with many settling in the East End of London.
Fish and chips
Joseph Malin later combined the two, opening the UK's first fish and chip shop around 1860. He was an Ashkenazi Jew who came to London's East End from Eastern Europe.
Although history tells us little about Malin's early life, Ashkenazi Jews were heavily persecuted in Eastern Europe and Russia around this time. Hundreds of thousands of Jews fled during the pogroms from 1881, with 140,000 arriving in the UK from the 1880s onwards.
Some argue that the first fish and chip shop was in fact opened in the North of England, but according to experts, it's likely the popular dish originated from our capital.
So there we have it, the unlikely history of fish and chips - thanks to French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Eastern European refugees.
The two were then combined by Jewish refugee Joseph Malin who opened the UK's first fish and chip shop in 1860 after arriving in Britain from Eastern Europe.
Posting the video on Twitter, he wrote: 'Providing a new start to those who've fled their homes represents the best of Britain's values.
'As we know, refugees have always helped to keep our communities safe and make our society stronger. They even brought us fish and chips.'
Sitting in a cafe, with Union Jack bunting behind him, Lineker says that 'Britain wouldn't be Britain without fish and chips, a national institution, a culinary delight'.
The animated fish and chips then tell the TV host that they were brought over to the UK by refugees, who also combined the two.
Lineker states: 'Britain wouldn't be Britain without refugees' and the video ends with a 'refugees welcome' sign on the cafe door.
It comes as Lineker revealed he will make good on his high-profile criticism of the Government's migrant policy by welcoming a refugee to live in his home.
The former England footballer, who has been a vocal advocate of asylum seekers on social media for years, claims he is not at all daunted by the prospect.
He was challenged by Conservative MP Lee Anderson to take in 'illegal immigrants' last month after Lineker criticised the Government's handling of Channel crossings.
The BBC sports host hit back by posting a picture of an email confirming he had offered up his home to 'host a guest'.
Having signed up to charity Refugees At Home, Lineker is likely to house a new guest within the next few weeks.
He said he has 'had so much connection with refugees', adding: 'I have met scores of young refugees through football schemes and they are genuinely lovely kids and they appreciate any help they can get.
'It will be fine. I've been thinking of doing something like that for a while. My kids are all grown up so I've got plenty of room so if I can help on a temporary basis then I'm more than happy to do so. Why not?'
He told the Daily Mirror that he was 'used to young men in my house' as he has 'four lads in their 20s'.
And he joked: 'Believe you me, I'm sure they will behave better than my lot do. Bloody, messy buggers boys, aren't they?'
Mr Anderson, MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, challenged Lineker after the former Spurs striker tweeted an article about Boris Johnson hinting at a change in the law to help deport migrants who cross the Channel.
The ex-England player wrote last month: 'Can we make it clear not everyone in this country is heartless and completely without empathy. These poor people deserve the help of their fellow human beings.'
The home studio of Lineker, who is worth an estimated £28million, is pictured above
Afterwards Mr Anderson told talkRADIO: 'If Gary Lineker wants to email me his full name, address, postcode and details of the accommodation that he currently resides in, I will make sure that's available for the next boat of illegal immigrants to come and live in – bed and breakfast of course.
'It's the liberal Left again, virtue signalling, trying to say all the right things... to look popular.'
Last night Lineker said refugees had 'given so much to this country and still continue to do so in terms of the jobs they do which we have witnessed during the pandemic in the NHS, carers and key workers'.
Lineker's strident views on Twitter about Brexit have earned him the title 'lefty luvvie,' and he anticipates more abuse for standing up for migrants.
Lineker last month showed proof he had contacted Refugees at Home about hosting someone himself after he was challenged by a Tory MP
Lineker regularly shares his views on Twitter with an audience of 7.6million followers
But he said he has no desire to lecture others and tell them what to do: 'All you can really do is concentrate on what you believe is right and go from there.'
Lineker described modern discourse as 'toxic' and put that down to social media at least in part, saying he yearned for the days when lively debate could be enjoyed in the pub with your best mates.
'We have become so tribal, it's almost more tribal that football is.' He told the Mirror.
'That's a worry so whenever I'm in a debate I try not to be nasty. I don't understand why if someone has a different opinion you have to fall out.'
A migrant arriving in Dover yesterday following a series of crossings over the Channel
A migrant child is brought into Dover on the Kent coast by a Border Force officer yesterday
Lineker has campaigned on behalf of refugees since the image of Syrian boy Alan Kurdi, who drown off Greece in 2015, was seared onto Europe's front pages.
The recent colossal increase in migrants trying to make the crossing has focused his resolve that something must be done.
Lineker told the paper: 'I just thought we were going anti them with front pages with all this anti-refugee propaganda and I thought, put yourself in their shoes.'
He said that his political conscience had increased with age, remarking that as a young footballer he was largely oblivious to current affairs.
Babies and children among latest migrants to arrive .
It is therefore heartening, Lineker said, that players such as Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, 22, has thrown his hat into the social justice ring so early.
Rashford led a successful campaign for the Government to keep free school meals for children over the summer amid the pandemic.
Lineker said he thought it was wonderful to have a younger generation so 'full of empathy and social conscience. That's great. Their maturity has been extraordinary.'
Refugees at Home will interview Lineker and visit his home as part of the application process for its scheme which has helped find temporary accommodation for more than 2,250 refugees and asylum seekers.
https://www.appurse.com/articles/se...cO_L4esDL7jQZp5D8ZTCiQndNUuY59ujpsx_TajSDe0T8
