Television host Sonia Kruger has acknowledged that her call to end Muslim immigration to Australia may be seen as extreme, but has defended her right to voice her opinion after her comments on national television ignited a fierce national debate.

Speaking for the first time publicly since her comments on Monday drew heavy criticism from some sections of the community, an emotional Kruger did not back down from her stance when she opened Channel Nine's Today Extra program on Tuesday.

Kruger, the former Dancing With The Stars host, said she had nothing but "complete respect" for people of all races and religions.

But she explained how she was feeling after 84 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a truck drove through a crowd on Bastille Day in Nice, France.