Eric Clapton has doubled down on his anti-vaccine comments on a podcast with Robert F Kennedy Jr, The Defender.

Kennedy, who is a prominent anti-vaccine activist, spoke to Clapton about his views.

Clapton has been vocal about his opposition to lockdown restrictions and vaccinations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and last December, he teamed up with fellow sceptic Van Morrison for the track ‘Stand and Deliver’, one of many anti-lockdown songs Morrison recorded and which were met with significant backlash.

Clapton reaffirmed his views on the podcast while also opening up about the effect his stance had on his relationships with others.

“Over the last year, there’s been a lot of disappearing, a lot of dust around with people moving away quite quickly, and it has, for me, refined the kind of friendships I have. And it’s dwindled down to the people that I obviously really need and love.

“And inside my family that became quite pivotal…I’ve got teenage girls and an older girl who’s in her thirties, and they’ve all had to kind of give me leeway because I haven’t been able to convince any of them. I think my wife is now seeing it the same way as me.”

He then went on to further express his support for Morrison: “It’s been difficult these last couple of years, especially with mainstream media turning. I had been inspired by Van [Morrison] because he came straight out and his reasoning was, ‘We have to make music for people.’”

“He’s a crusader, he sees it as his calling. And I thought, ‘That’s right, people are not really acquainted with the idea that this is as important in their healing as any kind of medicine. The whole community thing of people with being together with music.’”

Back in July, Clapton said he will not perform concerts that require proof of vaccination, after the government lifted restrictions.

He said in a statement posted on Robin Monotti Graziadei’s Telegram account: “Following the PM’s announcement on Monday the 19th of July 2021, I feel honour bound to make an announcement of my own: I wish to say that I will not perform on any stage where there is a discriminated audience present. Unless there is provision made for all people to attend, I reserve the right to cancel the show.”

Meanwhile, Queen‘s Brian May shared his thoughts on Clapton and his COVID anti-vaccine stance in a new interview.