The Christian community in England and Wales is now less than half of the overall population, and the statistics prompted a rant from an LBC radio host. 

James O'Brien condemned people that would be "outraged" about the statistics but don't engage with the religion.

He implored people to start going to church if they were upset by the data.

For the first time ever, Census data taken in 2021, but released on Tuesday, suggests less than 50 per cent of the population in England and Wales consider themselves a Christian. 

Just 46.2 per cent of people would label themselves as followers of Christ, down from 59.3 per cent in 2011. 

Around 37.2 per cent said they had no religion at all, up by a quarter from the last results. 

"It's not because we've been overrun by Muslims," O'Brien was quick to clarify. "It's simply because people aren't Christians anymore." 

"Loads of people who have never been near a church in their lives will be [in tomorrow's newspapers] encouraged to feel that Christianity has somehow been edited out of the picture," he said, on the day of the results.

"People who couldn't even tell you the Ten Commandments or name three Apostles will now be disgusted and outraged that less than half of the population have described themselves as Christian!"

For those upset by the statistics, O'Brien offered a solution: "I have said it before and I'll say it again, if you're worried about the decline of Christianity in this country there is something actually quite serious that you can do about it."

"Go to church." 

"Start believing in Christianity! If you're worried then go to Church and start believing that the big fella walked on water! 

"It's all there. That's all you need."