Susanna Reid was forced to apologise to Good Morning Britain viewers on Wednesday after a guest branded former health secretary Matt Hancock a “dickhead”.
During the latest edition of the ITV breakfast show, the team discussed the news that the Hancock is set to make an appearance on the new series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! later this week.
Susanna and co-host Ed Balls were joined by Daily Mail journalist Andrew Pierce and The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire, who slated the Tory MP, saying he wanted to see him “humiliated” on the ITV reality show.
He also questioned the former health secretary’s motives for signing up, noting that the public conversation would not be about politics or dyslexia, of which Hancock previously said he hoped to raise awareness on the show.
“But how much of that conversation is going to be about dyslexia?” Andrew said. “This will all be about ‘you’re a complete wotsit-head... you’re a dickhead’. I can say it, can’t I?”
“No, no you can’t say that! Apologies,” Susanna told viewers.
After Ed noted how the public would likely knock Hancock down in the jungle, and questioned if he would have the “strength, personality and authenticity” to reverse his fortunes, Andrew continued slating the former minister.
“He won’t get back up,” he insisted.
Hancock’s forthcoming appearance on I’m A Celebrity has already prompted some strong reactions.
Former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan – who repeatedly made headlines for his no-holds-barred takedowns of then-health secretary Matt Hancock during the pandemic – has branded his appearance a “ridiculous vanity exercise” and a “smack in the face” for those who lost loved ones to Covid.
Speaking on his TalkTV show Piers Morgan Uncensored, the divisive broadcaster told a care home owner: “For [Hancock] to now – before there has even been a proper inquiry into what happened and what culpability he may actually be proven to have had – for him to now go into a reality show, in a jungle for hundreds of thousands of pounds is an absolute smack in the face for people like you who had to go through so much appalling trauma of losing all these people in your homes.”
He added: “The taxpayers pay their salaries and the very least we expect is that they serve their constituents and they turn up and vote, neither of which he can do for up to four weeks in Australia whilst he’s on this ridiculous vanity exercise of assuming the British public will warm to his creepy little self and vote for him.
“They are not, they are going to vote for him to do despicable things and then kick him out.”
Soon after it was first reported that Hancock would be going into the I’m A Celebrity jungle as a late arrival, it was confirmed he’d had the Tory whip removed.
Hancock has since defended his appearance, saying: “I think it’s a great opportunity to talk directly to people who aren’t always interested in politics, even if they care very much about how our country’s run.
“It’s our job as politicians to go to where the people are — not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster.”
I’m A Celebrity begins on Sunday at 9pm on ITV, while Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.