Apprentice star Bushra Shaikh sparks backlash after saying it's acceptable to break holiday quarantine rules

The star said “rules may not look the same for everyone” and adults should not be “imprisoned” to complete the quarantine period
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Former Apprentice star Bushra Shaikh is facing backlash after revealing she would break quarantine rules after returning from holiday on Good Morning Britain (GMB).

Ms Shaikh, who appeared on the BBC show in 2017, was branded “totally irresponsible” by GMB host Adil Ray during the debate.

What did she say?

Bushra Shaikh was branded “totally irresponsible” by GMB host Adil Ray (Photo: ITV)Bushra Shaikh was branded “totally irresponsible” by GMB host Adil Ray (Photo: ITV)
Bushra Shaikh was branded “totally irresponsible” by GMB host Adil Ray (Photo: ITV)
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The Apprentice star came under fire for suggesting that government guidance can be interpreted differently when asked if she would self-isolate as required after travelling to an amber listed country.

Those who travel to an amber listed country are required to quarantine for a period of 10 days on returning to the UK, but the star insisted she was not going to travel.

However, Ms Shaikh said that “rules may not look the same for everyone”, adding that adults should not be ‘imprisoned’ to complete the period of quarantine.

She said: “As parents and grown ups we all have a responsibility and the rules may not look the same for everyone, so although we are supposed to quarantine for 10 days, I could do a Covid test every single day.

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“I could do certain things to make sure my family and I are not putting anyone at risk after we come back from holiday.”

Mr Ray responded in that the same rules apply to everyone and if people pick and choose, the measures would have no effect at all.

He said: “What do you mean the rules can look different? They are in English.

"It is very, very clear. If everyone interpreted rules differently, we would get nowhere.

"Surely you can't govern like that."

‘Spectacularly selfish’

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Ms Shaikh appeared alongside NHS palliative care doctor, Rachel Clarke, who was equally outraged by her comments, stating that such selfish behaviour could fuel the spread of Covid-19.

Dr Clarke said: "I am so shocked and dismayed to hear that someone would go to an amber country and not quarantine.

"The quarantine rules are there for a reason in the same way drunk driving rules are there for a reason. The rules are there to keep everybody safe.

“Bushra might want to go on holiday, and I would love to as well, but if the net result of her going on holiday and not quarantining is that people then die, because she comes back and causes an outbreak, that’s absolutely dreadful.

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The care doctor added: "I find that incredibly and spectacularly selfish."

Dr Clarke explained that hospitals already have "a huge backlog" and cannot handle an increase in Covid cases, but Ms Shaikh exclaimed "We can't imprison people for this long! We are grown ups, we are responsible.”

Mr Ray noted that her “selfishness could cause people to die”, to which she hit back: “Oh give over, it's not selfishness."

“I am speaking for the people that understand that actually our families need to get away.

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“It has been a long time and we are in a better position and using the example of drink driving for me is just ridiculous because it’s not the same thing.”

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