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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Victoria Johns

Chris Tarrant pays for Ukrainian family staying with him to live in city centre flat

Chris Tarrant has revealed he's paid for a Ukrainian family staying with him to live in a city centre flat in Berkshire.

The former Who Wants to be a Millionaire host, 76, took in the family of three in March after they fled from Russian invasion.

Speaking about the atrocities in Eastern Europe, Chris told Jackie Brambles on Greatest Hits Radio how he and his wife Jane felt compelled to help after watching the "evil war" unfold.

"I never thought I’d see in my lifetime the scenes we’ve seen – and are still seeing - since this sick, evil war started in Ukraine," he said.

"When it started Jane and I were watching the news at home shaking our heads and thinking ‘we should really help, we’ve got room, we can take a family’.

"This family, three generations – Mum, 65, daughter of about 30 and a little baby who was then 7 months – had been sleeping on the floor of an airport in Poland but moved in with us in March and they’ve really enhanced our lives- this little baby is now 14 months old and is toddling and gurgling away.

Chris Tarrant said he was appalled by what's happening in Ukraine (James Speakman/PA Wire)

"But they’ve been living with me for a long time and it’s coming up to winter now and where we are is quite remote, so I want them to have access to shops, the cinema, baby classes."

Chris revealed he's paying for the family to stay in a flat in the city centre, explaining: "I’m paying for it all but it’s my pleasure just to do something. Of course they want to go home but they live about 60 miles from the Russian border and the husband is fighting in the Donbas – it’s a very precarious situation still."

The father-of-four previously spoke about his plans for the family on Good Morning Britain.

The presenter was by joined Ukrainian Caseworker Vladyslava Zhmuro to unveil a portrait in Liverpool (James Speakman/PA Wire)

"I'm getting them a flat soon, done paid for and whatever cause they really want to be closer to the city centre so they can just walk to the shops and the pubs," he said before explaining: "I've got a big old house but I'm right in the sticks."

Chris then described how "sweet" the trio is, revealing they'd tidy up parts of the house even when he tells them they don't need to.

The former Who Wants to be a Millionaire host said he was pleased to be able to help the Ukrainian family (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?/YouTube)

"They have enhanced my life these people [...] They're the sweetest people and they keep wanting to do things and I go no you don't need to." He went on: "They are fantastic".

Showing his solidarity with the country, the presenter joined Ukrainian Caseworker Vladyslava Zhmuro to unveil a portrait by Ukrainian artist Sergey Piskuno, which was projected onto the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool in October.

The unveiling was part of The National Lottery’s Peoples’ Portraits series, which celebrates the work of those helping to tackling the refugee crisis.

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