The Loose Women panel discussed Charlene White 's reaction to Matt Hancock on the ITV show today.
Janet Street-Porter defended her co-star for hugging the disgraced former health secretary on a recent episode of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! - but admitted she would have 'physically assaulted' the MP had she been in the jungle with him.
The journalist explained to viewers how her fellow Loose Women panelist is being 'forced' to bond with Mr Hancock and recalled her own experience Down Under as she tried to justify why Charlene isn't being too hard on the MP.
As Janet pointed out Charlene and her fellow campers are in a 'hostage situation', Ruth Langsford suggested Mr Hancock could have sought forgiveness from the public without going on reality TV.
Amid fury over Mr Hancock's arrival into the camp last week, ITV News presenter Charlene grilled the disgraced Tory MP over his rule-breaking during the pandemic, and his role as Health Secretary during this time.
Last year, former Downing Street chief adviser Dominic Cummings alleged, "tens of thousands of people died who didn't need to die" during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic due to what he claimed to be "criminal, disgraceful behaviour" within Downing Street under the supervision of Mr Hancock.
Charlene recalled the devastating death of her aunt from Covid when she confronted Mr Hancock in the jungle recently, but the two celebrity campers ended up hugging things out after a tense conversation.
"Not what any of us were expecting," Ruth kicked things off saying on today's Loose Women as the panel watched a clip of the warm-ish embrace.
Janet - who appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2004 - admitted had she been in the jungle when Mr Hancock made his controversial arrival, she would have 'physically assaulted' the politician or possibly had to remove herself from the camp.
But Janet has sympathy for her Loose Women co-star.
The journalist explained how Charlene's reaction to Mr Hancock has been influenced by the fact the celebrities on the show are in a 'hostage situation' and relying on the politician to win stars and meals for them.
"He's providing food and you are in a hostage situation," Janet argued. "Ok, you're being paid a lot of money but it's a hostage situation nonetheless."
She went on to add how the celebrities are 'forced to sit around the fire and bond' before sharing why she thinks Charlene hasn't clashed with Mr Hancock too sensationally.
"[Charlene's] a nice person, full stop. She is doing what any nice person would do when they see a person upset and that is to hug them," Janet mused.
The outspoken star added: "I think we shouldn't condemn her for that but I do think she's slightly used."
After Ruth pointed out Mr Hancock had no need to appear on a reality TV show as a way to apologise to the British public, Janet chimed in with: "He should have gone and worked at a food bank or a charity."
Mr Hancock - who receives a basic salary of £84,144 thanks to his role as a sitting MP - was forced to resign as health secretary in June 2021 after breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules by conducting an affair in his ministerial office with aide Gina Coladangelo while social distancing rules were in place.
Ahead of his first appearance on I'm A Celebrity earlier this month, the MP for West Suffolk lost the Tory whip and sparked an angry backlash from his fellow MPs and members of the public.
*Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV and ITVHub
