One of Therese Coffey’s first interviews as Deputy Prime Minister and Health Secretary was interrupted when her phone's ringtone went off on air.
But it was no regular alarm – her phone started blaring Dr Dre’s hit Still D.R.E.
The 50-year-old was being interviewed on LBC Radio on Wednesday morning when listeners were unexpectedly treated to the US rapper’s tune.
Ms Coffey, who was appointed Liz Truss’s deputy a day earlier, was answering questions on her new central role in Government when she had to cut off interviewer Nick Ferrari mid-question.
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The PA News Agency reports that as she reached for her mobile, Ferrari asked: “Are you alright over there? You got a phone ringing, you okay?” to which Ms Coffey, replied: “I’ve just realised my alarm is going off on my phone.”
Ferrari asked: “Oh my goodness, what is the alarm for?”
The Deputy PM replied: “You’re getting a bit of Dr Dre. It’s just an 8 o’clock alarm, sorry, let me just turn that off,” as the rapper’s 1999 hit with Snoop Dogg rang out.
“That’s fantastic – Dr Coffey with Dr Dre as the Health Secretary. It just gets better and better,” the broadcaster retorted.
Any hundreds took to social media shortly after, criticising Coffey's unprofessionalism and musical choices. One user wrote: "A key component of managing health and social care is health promotion and the individual's responsibility for self - Coffey can't even do that!"
Another, chimed in: "Bet she insists people call her Dr Tre," while a third, wrote: "She forgot about Dre."
However, others contested that the ringtone going off was a planned PR stunt for the Deputy PM, with Twitter users accusing Ms Coffey of trying to appear relatable. "Are we really supposed to believe this is true ?...Pathetically desperate," wrote one, while another, added: "That wasn’t staged much!"
A third, commented: "Wow look how normal she is," while a fourth, echoed: "Sorry about my alarm ‘accidentally’ going off and this new song that all the kids are into these days."
A fifth, slammed: "Lots of excitable people now intending to really like/vote/support/trust Coffey because of what's on her her phone alarm is why we are where we are."
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