Coel: West Africans leaving unattractive Britain
Source: telegraph.co.uk
TL;DR
- Coel Questions Protests: Actress Michaela Coel calls anti-immigration marches odd as fewer people race to the UK.
- West Africans Leaving: Coel says West Africans increasingly seek ways out since the UK lost its attraction.
- Personal Peace in Ghana: Coel feels more at peace in her Ghana home than east London.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)[[2]](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15747987/Michaela-Coel-says-African-people-dont-want-live-Britain.html)
The story at a glance
The Telegraph reports on British-Ghanaian actress Michaela Coel's comments from a Sunday Times interview where she questions the point of anti-immigration protests amid falling UK appeal. Coel, 38, whose parents are from Ghana, lives partly in east London and partly in Ghana. The piece is reported now following her interview promoting her new BBC series filmed in Ghana.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)[[2]](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15747987/Michaela-Coel-says-African-people-dont-want-live-Britain.html)
Key points
- Coel watched Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march past her east London home last September, which drew over 100,000 protesters against immigration and the small boats crisis.[[2]](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15747987/Michaela-Coel-says-African-people-dont-want-live-Britain.html)
- She told the Sunday Times the protests seem odd because fewer people want to immigrate to the UK than before.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)
- Coel stated more West Africans will leave if they can, as the UK has lost its former attraction.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)
- She splits time between east London, where she watches TV with her nearby mother, and Ghana, her other home.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)
- Coel feels more at peace in Ghana than in London.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)
- Her new BBC series First Day on Earth, about a British-Ghanaian novelist visiting Ghana, is filming there now.[[2]](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15747987/Michaela-Coel-says-African-people-dont-want-live-Britain.html)
Details and context
The Telegraph article by Albert Tait covers Coel's personal opinion from her Sunday Times interview with Megan Agnew, framing it amid UK immigration debates. Coel ties her views to witnessing Robinson's rally, organised by the far-right activist, which passed her home and featured Elon Musk's video urging resistance to government policies.[[2]](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15747987/Michaela-Coel-says-African-people-dont-want-live-Britain.html)
She presents her take cautiously, noting news questions are hard for her as an artist focused on her projects. No data backs her claim of West Africans leaving; census figures show Nigeria-born residents in England and Wales rose from over 190,000 in 2011 to over 270,000 in 2021.[[3]](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/michaela-coel-west-africans-leaving-082643729.html)
A second anti-immigration march is planned soon in London, with Sharon Osbourne attending.[[2]](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15747987/Michaela-Coel-says-African-people-dont-want-live-Britain.html)
Key quotes
“It just seems a bit odd because I don’t think many people are racing to immigrate to the UK like they used to.” – Michaela Coel to The Sunday Times[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)
“I think more and more, if people can find a way out — I’m talking particularly for West Africans — they will go. I think the UK has lost the attraction it once had.” – Michaela Coel to The Sunday Times[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/michaela-coel-i-thought-i-may-destroy-you-would-be-the-last-show-i-did-7x07wvhz3)
Why it matters
Coel's remarks highlight tensions in UK immigration discourse, where celebrity views on migrant desirability clash with ongoing protests and policy fights. For Britons and migrants alike, they underscore debates over whether the UK remains a top destination amid economic and social strains. Watch her BBC series First Day on Earth and any response to her comments, though her opinion lacks supporting emigration data so future migration stats will clarify trends.
FAQ
Q: What protests did Michaela Coel reference?
A: She mentioned watching Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom rally last September from her east London home, where over 100,000 marched against immigration and the small boats crisis, with Elon Musk appearing in a video. A second march is planned next month.
Q: Why does Coel say West Africans want to leave the UK?
A: Coel believes the UK has lost its former attraction, so more West Africans will go if they can find a way out, amid her view that fewer now race to immigrate.
Q: Where does Coel feel more at peace and why?
A: Coel feels more at peace in her Ghana home than east London, where she splits time with her mother nearby; this ties to her Ghanaian heritage and current filming there.
Q: What is Coel's new project linked to Ghana?
A: First Day on Earth is a ten-part BBC series she stars in and executive produces, about a British-Ghanaian novelist reconnecting in Ghana, with filming underway there.