Matt Hancock affair: Health Secretary’s Sky News interview about Professor Neil Ferguson resurfaces

Matt Hancock has been accused of double standards over an interview in which he condemned ‘Professor Lockdown’ for breaking Covid rules to meet his mistress – as the Health Secretary faces questions over his own alleged affair a year on. 

The video, which has been spread on social media again today in light of Mr Hancock’s kiss with millionaire communications director Gina Coladangelo, 43, was broadcast on Sky News on May 6, 2020.

In the clip, the Health Secretary condemns the actions of ‘Professor Lockdown’ Neil Ferguson, who broke Covid restrictions to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats, 38 last summer.  

He admits Ferguson’s actions are ‘extraordinary’ as he struggles to comprehend the hypocritical message the ex-SAGE scientist sent to the public before his resignation in May 2020.

Today it emerged that Hancock had been allegedly caught on CCTV kissing his aide Mrs Coldagangelo on May 6 – less than a fortnight before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug. 

And he goes further to say it ‘would not be possible’ for Mr Ferguson, 53, to have kept his job in the wake of flouting the strict coronavirus social distancing rules he helped draw up to have secret trysts with his married lover. 

Ferguson was brandished an ‘arrogant hypocrite’ in the wake of his actions, but in a controversial twist, stunning CCTV pictures today showed Mr Hancock and his closest aide in a passionate embrace outside his Whitehall office last month. 

While the Health Secretary praised Ferguson’s decision to resign, he himself has been caught on camera kissing millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor was clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace at around 3pm on May 6 this year – less than a fortnight before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug.

In the interview, Matt Hancock, 42, condemns the actions of ‘Professor Lockdown’ Neil Ferguson, who broke Covid rules to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats, 38 last summer

The video has re-emerged today in light of Mr Hancock’s alleged affair with millionaire communications director Gina Coladangelo, 43 (left)

Professor Ferguson (above) asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London to his home at least twice despite lecturing Brits on the need to stay apart

Antonia Staats, 38, is believed to have visited the scientist shortly after he finished self-isolating for two weeks last summer

In a live interview with Sky presenter Kay Burley last summer, the Health Secretary referenced the ‘extraordinary’ circumstances surrounding Professor Ferguson’s resignation.

He said: ‘It’s extraordinary. I don’t understand… Prof Ferguson is a very, very eminent and impressive scientist.

‘The science he has done has been an important part of what we have listened to.

‘I think he did the right decision, to resign that is.’ 

Kay Burley asks: ‘You wouldn’t have thought to keep him?’

Mr Hancock replied: ‘That’s just not possible in these circumstances.’ 

Professor Ferguson, 53, asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London to his home at least twice last summer – despite lecturing 66million in Britain on the need to stay apart to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Lockdown restrictions were at their peak at the time Mr Ferguson broke the rules, with no social contact allowed between separate households. 

In a resignation statement, the academic, who is married with a son but is believed to be separated from his wife, admitted he had ‘made an error of judgement’ but claimed he thought he was ‘immune’ to the illness.

Several outspoken critics slammed ‘Professor Lockdown’ as an ‘arrogant hypocrite’ and accused him of ‘undermining’ the Government’s message on lockdown.

The Health Secretary, 42, has been seen having a passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo (pictured here with Matt Hancock outside Downing Street in May), according to The Sun 

Martha Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple’s north London home this morning after claims that her husband has been  having a secret affair. She didn’t comment

Today, Mr Hancock is facing a barrage of questions as his job hangs in the balance in the wake of his alleged affair. 

The Health Secretary, 42, has been caught on camera in a passionate clinch with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year. 

Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, 44, and the couple have three children together. 

Mrs Hancock reportedly looked sad and upset as she left the couple’s home in north London this morning, but didn’t speak to reporters about her husband’s alleged infidelity.