Former Health Secretary, Matt Hancock has come under fire from ITV's Lorraine Kelly after she took a savage swipe at him following a new podcast.
Lorraine commented on his appearance on her self-titled ITV show on Tuesday, March 1 and was later quizzed about it by the hosts of Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, March 2.
Hancock had joined Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett on his hit podcast, Diary of a CEO.
In the latest episode of the entrepreneur's podcast, which was released on Monday, Mr Hancock is heard talking about his resignation last year after he was said to have broken his own Covid rules. Leaked CCTV footage showed him in a clinch with adviser Gina Coladangelo in his Whitehall office, reported Manchester Evening News.
But speaking to Steven, the former Cabinet minister said he didn't break the law - but "fell in love".
After a clip from the lengthy chat aired, Lorraine said: "Yeah... That is Matt Hancock, remember him?... Former Health Secretary talking to Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett about his resignation last year."
Lorraine, 62, however, couldn't help but comment on Mr Hancock's appearance as he donned a navy polo neck.
"I don’t know what he’s come as," she remarked. "He looks like a Bond villain or a Pound Shop Milk Tray Man, maybe."
She then added: "You will remember him, he was seen kissing his aide in a corridor. He says he fell in love though. The lady he was seen kissing, Gina, she was with him at the time of the recording that podcast.
"So he fell in love, but lots of people who were in love with each other weren't able to see each other during that time, weren't they?"
Lorraine continued on with her show and headed over the speak to Andi Peters. She said: "First though, it is competition time with our Andi who is in South Wales. Hi, Andi."
Andi laughed: "You go Lorraine! I love it. Pound shop Milk Tray Man. I love it. Some would say he is one of these, Lorraine..."
And Lorraine viewers were quick to comment on social media.
One viewer tweeted: "I am LIVING for #lorraine’s savage take down of Matt Hancock. ‘Pound shop milk tray man".
Another said: "Lorraine calling Matt Hancock Poundshop Milk Tray man #Lorraine," with added crying laughing emojis.
Today, Wednesday, March 2, colleagues at Good Morning Britain asked Lorraine "What did you call Matt Hancock yesterday Lorraine?"
She replied: "A pound shop Milk Tray man because he looked like..." adding, "seriously, just go!".
At the time the footage was taken, on May 6, 2021, indoor social gatherings of people from different households were banned under law.
Guidance urged people to stay two metres apart and avoid "face to face contact.
"We fell in love and that's something that was completely outside of my control," Mr Hancock told Steven on the podcast.
"Of course I regret the pain that's caused and the very, very public nature - anybody who has been through this knows how difficult it is, how painful it is."
Mr Hancock has since left his wife and children to start a relationship with Ms Coladangelo, who was also married with children.
She was in attendance at the recording of the interview, with Steven sharing pictures to his social media pages.
Steven Bartlett tweeted: "Matt Hancock stopped by with his new partner Gina to speak to me," he shared alongside the pictures of himself in conversation with Ms Colagangelo.
"It’s time to find out what really happened, it’s time to ask the questions we’ve not had answers to; Party gate? Where did the CCTV footage come from? What mistakes did he make?"
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