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Matt Hancock confronted by Kate Garraway over his failure to understand pandemic upset

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Matt Hancock was challenged by both Kate Garraway and Susanna Reid over his actions during the pandemic
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Matt Hancock was challenged by both Kate Garraway and Susanna Reid over his actions during the pandemic

Matt Hancock has been confronted by Kate Garraway over his failure to understand the upset of people who could not visit loved ones in hospital during the pandemic.

The former health secretary was challenged on ITV’s Good Morning Britain by Ms Garraway over his recent reality television appearances and lockdown memoir, which was released ahead of the Covid inquiry.

Ms Garraway, whose husband Derek Draper spent a year in hospital being treated for coronavirus, said she and others were unable to visit loved ones because of the lockdown rules Mr Hancock imposed.

She questioned whether Mr Hancock grasped the upset caused by his policies.

"I couldn't visit Derek in hospital, he couldn't see his kids. Thousands of others couldn't go and see the people they loved,” said Ms Garraway.

Mr Hancock replied: "I get all that, I really do, and I really feel it."

He argued that he must discuss what happened so the public can "learn as much as possible".

"I feel like it's my duty because we're all human, we all make mistakes," he said.

Mr Hancock was also challenged by fellow GMB host Susanna Reid over his illicit romance with Gina Coladangelo, his special adviser during the pandemic, which came to light through leaked CCTV images.

Pressing Mr Hancock on the scandal, for which he resigned as health minister in 2021, Reid said “people find it remarkable” that he was not held to account for doing something that “most other people weren't allowed to do”.

Mr Hancock, who has remained an MP and has since appeared on  I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, responded: “Well, it doesn’t feel like I got away with it, Susanna. Of course it wasn’t breaking the law, because the legal rules weren’t in place.”

Reid said: “Lots of people find it completely astonishing that you could stand at the podium month after month telling people to stick to the rules, but for some reason, they didn’t apply to you. Why not?”

Matt Hancock's affair with Gina Coladangelo was exposed while he was health secretary
Matt Hancock's affair with Gina Coladangelo was exposed while he was health secretary

Echoing an answer he gave on I’m a Celebrity, Mr Hancock said: “Well, I’m only human.”

Reid responded: “Sorry, the whole country is only human.”

“Yeah, I understand that,” said Mr Hancock.

He added: “This is what I’ve asked for forgiveness in the jungle for. I’m human, I’ve described in my book what happened and how it happened right at the end of the pandemic.

“But that isn't an excuse and that's why I've been open about it, I suppose. We all have our frailties, and I fell in love.”

Mr Hancock insisted he did not "primarily" go on the show I'm A Celebrity for the money.

He described the three per cent of his £320,000 fee he donated to charity as a "decent sum”. He said the £10,000 donation was "more than my MPs' salary" that he still received while appearing on the show in the Australian jungle.

Entering the show amid criticism from constituents and colleagues, Mr Hancock's team said he would be donating a portion of his appearance fee.

He revealed the sum he gave away to the St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk and the British Dyslexia Association after official records showed his fee amounted to £320,000.

Mr Hancock said: "I didn't primarily do it for the money, I primarily did it to try to show who I am. I think £10,000 is actually a decent sum."

Mat Hancock says money was not the main motivation for him joining I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! - ITV
Mat Hancock says money was not the main motivation for him joining I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! - ITV

He confirmed he still received his MP salary while in the jungle, which is around £7,000 per month -  but said his donations were larger than that sum.

The West Suffolk MP, who lost the Tory whip over the appearance, did concede that "of course there was a discussion and negotiation over the fee".

But he insisted that he "certainly would have considered" doing the programme for £10 and denied negotiations soared after he turned down initial offers.