Matt Hancock sees his followers on TikTok soar after his I’m A Celebrity… appearance

By Katie Hind Consultant Editor Showbusiness 23:52 11 Feb 2023, Updated 00:30 12 Feb 2023

It’s the social media phenomenon that has attracted A-list celebrities like Will Smith, Justin Bieber and Victoria Beckham.

Now TikTok has an unlikely new sensation: Matt Hancock.

The former health secretary has more than 180,000 followers on the platform, with more than half of them under the age of 24, most of whom are women.

Hancock, who became a household name touting Covid regulations from behind a podium during the pandemic, resigned from the cabinet in disgrace in 2021 after being pictured in a clinch with his aide Gina Coladangelo, at odds with the locking rules.

But his popularity ratings took an unexpected boost when he came third on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! late last year.

His friends say he sees social media exposure as a way to show the public ‘the man behind the podium’ and he turns to his support staff for help making his excerpts. One said: ‘Matt is keen to interact with people of all ages and from all backgrounds. TikTok can be very tongue-in-cheek and the perfect way to reach a different audience.’

Former health secretary Matt Hancock (pictured with girlfriend Gina Colangelo) has more than 180,000 followers on the platform. More than half of Hancock’s TikTok followers are under the age of 24, most of whom are women. His friends say he sees social media exposure as a way to show the public ¿the man behind the podium¿ and he turns to his support staff for help in making his tracks

A TikTok clip of Hancock talking about being a Newcastle United fan has racked up more than three million views, while a video of him enjoying a night out with his Jungle co-stars Boy George and Seann Walsh attracted 2.9 million.

One of his main strategies is to answer questions that his followers ask him. Last week, more than 360,000 users of the social media site watched Hancock iron a white shirt after fans told him he was often seen wearing wrinkled clothes. As he ironed the shirt, Hancock, 44, who will stand down as an MP at the next general election, said: ‘Thanks for all the feedback, yes the shirts are a bit wrinkled so here goes.’

Hancock also posted a clip from the filming of ITV show Dancing On Ice, where he watched his celebrity friends take part and met host Holly Willoughby. A friend said: ¿Matt is eager to interact with people of all ages and from all backgrounds. TikTok can be very tongue-in-cheek and the perfect way to reach a different audience.¿

After putting it on, he said, “Perfect.” Alongside the video, he wrote: ‘Hope to reduce the number of comments I get about my unironed shirts.’

Almost 900 people commented on the clip, with one fan saying ‘God it’s Sunday night and I’m watching an MP iron a shirt’, while another wrote: ‘I love Matt Hancock xxx.’

Hancock also posted a clip from the filming of ITV show Dancing On Ice, where he watched his celebrity friends take part and met host Holly Willoughby.

Last week he revealed to followers that his favorite drink was a Negroni cocktail, saying: ‘Vermouth, Campari and gin on the rocks, little slice of orange…delicious!’

Hancock, who will appear on Channel 4 show Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins this year, also admitted that what he wouldn’t miss about being an MP was ‘the backstabbing and everybody knocking everybody down’.