Ed Balls and Susanna Reid angered Good Morning Britain viewers as they gave their verdict on Matt Hancock's decision to appear on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! today.
Former Labour Party MP Ed - who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 - explained how he feels Mr Hancock's upcoming stint on reality TV has come at 'the wrong time' for the MP, as Susanna described it as 'a great booking for ITV '.
Ed added how unlike BBC's Strictly, which he says is a 'warm show', I'm a Celebrity will be a 'tough' challenge for the former health secretary before wishing Mr Hancock, 44, 'good luck' as he attempts to repair his damaged reputation on the ITV show later this month.
As the sitting Tory MP prepares to join the star-studded line-up on the reality TV show after landing in Australia last night, the Good Morning Britain presenters discussed his shocking career move on the ITV show today.
Mr Hancock has been stripped of the Tory whip after signing up to become a celebrity camper, as he joins the likes of Chris Moyles, Love Island star Olivia Attwood and royal Mike Tindall ready to slum it in Down Under in the jungle.
As Susanna opened today's edition of Good Morning Britain she asked Ed his opinion on Matt's I'm a Celebrity venture - bringing up the former politician's own experience swapping parliament for reality TV.
"I had lost my seat by that point," Ed reminded his co-host when discussing his time on Strictly in 2017.
"I asked people for advice and they all said go for it. Do you think Matt Hancock will have asked others?"
He went on to add: "Good luck to him. I think he's totally wrong to do this. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong programme."
I'm a Celebrity has been slammed by many viewers for giving the politician a platform on their show - with a petition launched by bereaved relatives of Covid victims calling for the Tory MP to resign.
Mr Hancock was forced to quit as health secretary in June 2021 after breaking coronavirus lockdown rules by conducting an affair in his ministerial office with aide Gina Coladangelo.
Continuing to discuss the MP's dalliance with reality TV on Good Morning Britain today, Ed declared: "Strictly is a nice, warm, fun programme - I'm a Celebrity is tough!
"I worry for him - wrong programme, wrong time."
Susanna added: "It's going to be fun to watch. A great booking by ITV."
Viewers watching at home took to social media to slam Good Morning Britain for showing sympathy for Mr Hancock during the discussion.
"@edballs oh dear, defending Hancock as "it will be fun to watch" on #IACGMOOH," one angry viewer began on Twitter, adding: "It WASN'T a fun watch seeing the death toll rise day after day during the covid pandemic due the sheer arrogance, ineptitude & downright inhumane actions of @MattHancock as Health Secretary !#GMB."
Another tuned into the show wrote: "Matt Hancock may have dyslexia, I suffer from it myself, but there's a difference he murdered 200,000 British people during the pandemic. Susanna Reid feels sorry for him I feel sorry for those families. #GMB."
A third added: "Surprise Surprise Reid and Balls defending Hancock. These two are the most two faced presenters GMB has ever had. Hancock should resign as an MP."
As he touched down in Brisbane Airport last night, Mr Hancock defended his decision to appear on I'm a Celebrity while still a sitting MP - claiming he is braving the jungle in a bid to raise awareness of dyslexia.
Mr Hancock - who receives a £84,144 yearly salary as an elected MP - insisted he 'wasn't losing his marbles' or had 'one too many drinks' as he tried to explain his upcoming venture on reality TV.
"I want to raise the profile of my dyslexia campaign to help every dyslexic child unleash their potential — even if it means taking an unusual route to get there, via the Australian jungle," the former health secretary wrote in The Sun.
" I'm A Celebrity... is watched by millions of Brits up and down the country," he added.
"I want to use this incredible platform to raise awareness, so no child leaves primary school not knowing if they have dyslexia."
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV and ITVHub
