ITV viewers have criticised Matt Hancock after he appeared on Lorraine for an interview while presenter Piers Morgan is on holiday.
The Good Morning Britain host, who is currently enjoying a break in the south of France, has been calling on the Government to agree to an interview for weeks amid an apparent boycott.
And this morning (Wednesday, July 15), the Health Secretary appeared on ITV for a chat – with daytime TV favourite Lorraine Kelly.
What did viewers say about Matt Hancock’s Lorraine interview?
Reacting on Twitter, viewers slammed the MP and called his interview “sickening”. Others branded him a “coward” for coming on for an interview while Piers is away.
One wrote on Twitter: “So the government weren’t boycotting #GMB? Just when Piers was on?”
It would be funny if our country wasn’t in such trouble.
Another tweeted: “Peter Pandemic will talk to GMB, but not Piers and Susanna… will face the happy Lorraine. The happy Scot. You coward, Pandemic… get me a bucket. No, get me 10… I have a vomit quest coming on #matthancock.”
Read more: GMB: Charlotte Hawkins apologises to guest after ‘ridiculous’ interview
A third wrote: “So @MattHancock will go on #Lorraine but he’s to cowardly and scared to go on #GMB when @piersmorgan is on there. @MattHancock talks such utter crap. It’s why he’s waited to go on there, till @piersmorgan has gone on his hols. It would be funny if our country wasn’t in such trouble.”
Broadcaster India Willoughby tweeted: “Matt Hancock on @GMB when @PiersMorgan and @susannareid100 are on their hols. Pathetic #GMB.”
A fifth viewer said, angrily: “The absolute disregard Matt Hancock has for @reallorraine’s questions is sickening. He should remember that 45,000+ people have died on HIS watch #Lorraine.”
So the government weren’t boycotting #GMB? Just when piers was on ?
— gentlemanmike (@gentlemanmike) July 15, 2020
Peter pandemic will talk to GMB But not piers and Susanna…will face the happy Lorraine.the happy Scot ..,you coward pandemic..get me a bucket, no get me ten.. I have a vomit quest coming on #matthancock . #gmb
— Kev a man with a machine gun wielding hedgehog (@kevinsm17554523) July 15, 2020
So @MattHancock will go on #Lorraine but he's to cowardly and scared to go on #GMB when @piersmorgan is on there. @MattHancock talks such utter crap it's why he's waited to go on there,till @piersmorgan has gone on his hols. It would be funny if our country wasn't in such trouble
— ♥️JoannaJane♥️ (@NorfolkJoanna) July 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/IndiaWilloughby/status/1283309811040485377
Not everyone felt that way, though, as some defended the government for its response to the pandemic.
“#Lorraine showing her political credentials again,” said one. “Negative, negative, negative… Government has done an outstanding job, faced with a monumental problem. Try giving some credit! So easy to criticise.”
https://twitter.com/silverstrivers/status/1283312105400270848
ED! contacted Matt Hancock’s reps for comment.
Their chat covered the new rules regarding the wearing of face masks in shops across England. They also talked about the impact the Dominic Cummings scandal had on Brits’ willingness to comply with the lockdown.
On the latter point, Matt sat shaking his head and simply shrugged when Lorraine suggested the law had been broken.
Local action
Elsewhere, Matt said of the government’s response to a potential second wave: “Over the whole of the UK, the number of deaths is actually lower than it normally is at this time of year. And we’ve taken that action to move from a national lockdown to more and more local action.
“The plan is that we have more of this local action [such as the Leicester lockdown] and less of a national lockdown. [This] will allow people to restore more of what makes life worth living.
Read more: GMB: Ben Shephard gets weatherwoman Laura Tobin’s name wrong live on air
“We all need the resolve to stick at it.”
At the end of the chat, Lorraine made reference to the Government’s alleged boycott of GMB.
“Thank you for coming in to talk to us,” she said. “We really do appreciate it. And you know what, the guys at GMB are very nice, you can talk to them too.”
The Health Secretary laughed and replied: “I love ITV! Great to join you.”
What did you think of Matt Hancock’s Lorraine interview? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.