Matt Hancock: Why is ex-health secretary a controversial figure?

Matt Hancock was a regular face at the government's news conferences during the pandemic

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has faced challenging questions from some of his fellow campmates since he arrived on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Singer Boy George in particular appeared uncomfortable with Mr Hancock's presence in the jungle.

The West Suffolk MP is not the first politician to give reality TV a go - but his decision to join the I'm A Celeb cast is one of the most controversial.

Before this week, Mr Hancock was best known to TV audiences for standing behind a podium at pandemic news conferences, advising the public to stay at home and protect the NHS.

But many appear to be less familiar with the details of what he did during the pandemic and why he is no longer a government minister.

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The question "what did Matt Hancock do wrong" is one of the most popular search queries about him online.

He was forced to resign as health secretary in June 2021 when CCTV images of him kissing his aide Gina Coladangelo, with whom he was having an affair, in his office were published by The Sun newspaper.

He admitted that this broke the government's own social distancing rules.

At the time of the incident, indoor gatherings of two or more people were not allowed, although there was an exemption for work purposes. Critics pointed out that many had been unable to hug friends and family at funerals because they stuck to social distancing guidance.

Following his resignation, Mr Hancock said he understood the "enormous sacrifices" the public had made during the pandemic and apologised for "letting people down".

The issue came up in the jungle when TV presenter Scarlette Douglas described the MP's behaviour as "a slap in the face" that someone who had set the rules had then broken them.

What did Matt Hancock do during Covid?

Mr Hancock was appointed health secretary by Theresa May in July 2018 after serving as culture secretary.

When the Covid pandemic began, in early 2020, he had to lead the NHS's response to the biggest peacetime emergency the UK has faced.

Many questions remain about the decisions made by Mr Hancock and other government ministers - and whether more lives could have been saved. An inquiry scrutinising the handling of the pandemic has been launched.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group suggested Mr Hancock should not be appearing on a reality TV show while the inquiry is taking place, saying: "If he had any respect for bereaved families, he would be sharing his private emails with the Covid Inquiry, not eating bugs on TV."

During Mr Hancock's first full episode of I'm A Celebrity, singer Boy George said it was "difficult" to have him in the jungle after his mother had been in hospital during the pandemic.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, my mum was in hospital. I wasn't allowed to see her. I thought she was going to die," he told fellow campmate Douglas.

"I feel like, I don't want to be sitting here like I'm having fun with [Matt Hancock]. It's difficult for me because, you know, had something happened, if my mum had [died], I wouldn't be here now. I would have gone when he walked in."

The government has faced criticism for some of the early decisions made during the pandemic - including delaying the first lockdown and discharging people from hospitals into care homes without adequate testing or isolation.

Mr Hancock has also been criticised over how his department awarded contracts for things like Covid testing.

A spokesman for Mr Hancock highlights the UK's vaccination programme as an example of something he got right.

"Decisions were always guided by the science, in an attempt to protect the public and to save as many lives as possible," the spokesman added.

Mr Hancock has said appearing on I'm A Celebrity is an opportunity to engage with the public and raise awareness about his dyslexia campaign.

He told a fellow contestant he wanted to "peel myself back a bit" and show he was a "human being".

But he has been criticised by Parliamentary colleagues from all sides, including his own, for taking time off from serving his constituents and he has been suspended as a Conservative MP.