Matt Hancock has said he is looking for “forgiveness” – for breaking social distancing rules during the coronavirus pandemic by having an affair with his colleague – after a fellow reality show contestant criticised his behaviour.
The Conservative MP reiterated his “regret” on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! for his behaviour, which saw him resign as health secretary in June 2021 after photographs emerged of him kissing Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in breach of the rules at the time.
Hancock’s campmate, Charlene White, an ITV news anchor and presenter on Loose Women, expressed her frustration at his behaviour during the pandemic.
She told him: “My aunt died from Covid in the first wave. So, we couldn’t go to the hospital to go and visit her.
“I had to sit by myself in the church at her funeral. We couldn’t hug each other because we were following guidance.
“And I get that you fell in love, I understand all of those things, but ‘sorry’ for a lot of families like mine doesn’t really cut it.”
Hancock replied: “Yeah. Well, there you go. That’s one of the reasons that I regret it as much as I do.
“Do you know what it is actually, what I’m really looking for is a bit of forgiveness, that’s what I’m really looking for. We all make mistakes. I made a pretty big one.”
The Conservative MP for West Suffolk, who entered the Australian jungle on Wednesday, had acknowledged on Thursday there was “no excuse” for the actions that led to his resignation but insisted he “fell in love” with Coladangelo.
Speaking to comedian Babatunde Aleshe while they were doing chores, Hancock, 44, said: “It was really tough. I messed up and I fessed up. I resigned and it’s no excuse but I fell in love, right? That also had a lot of other consequences, obviously.”
On Saturday, Hancock will face his fourth consecutive trial on the show after once again having been voted for by the public. The former health secretary will face Who Wants to Look Silly on Air? alongside Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner, 23.
On Friday’s show, Hancock ate part of a camel’s penis, sheep’s vagina and cow’s anus in the first eating trial of the series alongside singer Boy George.
