GMB viewers were left cringing and furious by an appearance on the show by Matt Hancock.
The Health Secretary faced a grilling from hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid earlier today (Monday, November 16).
His awkward interview marked the end of a 201-day Government boycott of the ITV breakfast show.
And a furious Piers made it clear how unimpressed he has been with ministers running away from him.
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“Where the hell have you been?” he demanded as Mr Hancock went on to claim diary scheduling has kept him from appearing previously.
But Piers was not be deterred and pressed further, insisting on knowing whether the MP had supported the GMB ban.
Why haven’t you offered your resignation?
“Do you think it is right and proper that during the biggest health crisis this government has faced for 100 years you have been absent from this show?” Piers asked.
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“You and the entire Cabinet and Prime Minister have boycotted a huge breakfast TV news programme – and our viewers – for six months.
“Did you support the boycott? Did you support it?”
Piers, however, was not satisfied with Mr Hancock’s response suggesting he was back on the show as soon as he could be.
“Literally, I just asked a question and you refused to answer,” Piers replied.
Matt Hancock asked on GMB about Government’s mistakes
Piers’ frustration was also felt by those watching at home as Mr Hancock seemed to evade addressing the Government’s “constant series of failures and U-turns”.
Piers raised issues including a lack of PPE for health workers, the delay to bringing in lockdown and testing and care home protection.
The presenter also enquired why Mr Hancock still has his job.
'Why don't you just roll out testing to all care homes?.'@susannareid100 asks Health Secretary Matt Hancock why testing can't be rolled out to 'every care home for every family' following the launch of a pilot scheme that has launched in 20 care homes. pic.twitter.com/XD9U7HvuUi
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 16, 2020
Piers asked: “Given that we now have had over 50,000 deaths in this country – which is the worst death toll in the whole of Europe – why are you still Health Secretary? And why haven’t you offered your resignation?”
Later, asked whether he felt the Government had made errors, Mr Hancock responded: “Sure, of course, we’ve made mistakes, absolutely.
“When we first put out the guidance for funerals in the first peak it was interpreted as being so tight that even your spouse couldn’t go to the funeral of somebody who’d died of coronavirus.
“Now, that was wrong, and we changed it. Absolutely, we’ve been learning.”
GMB viewers slam ‘car crash’ interview
However, not everybody watching was convinced.
Many viewers expressed on social media how they felt the interview was a ‘car crash’ for Mr Hancock.
One angry person tweeted: “Car crash telly interview on @GMB (yes folks the ban has been lifted) with Matt Hancock. It has been an art form on how not to use the simple words Yes or No and routine fudging of clearly put questions.
“You might ask how he is still Health Secretary? @piersmorgan did. No response.”
Car crash telly interview on @GMB (yes folks the ban has been lifted) with Matt Hancock. Its been an art form on how not to use the simple words Yes or No and routine fudging of clearly put questions. You might ask how he is still Health Secretary? @piersmorgan did. No response
— JULIAN BRAY Political Bagwash UK (@bray_bagwash) November 16, 2020
Another agreed: “@MattHancock absolute car crash of an interview with @piersmorgan.
“Are you that incompetent that you can’t even answer one question honestly?”
https://twitter.com/_Jonny_Martin/status/1328259126061838336
And someone else put it concisely: “Matt Hancock needs to go. He had a car crash interview on @GMB.”
Mr Hancock’s inability to answer a straight question also came in for criticism on social media.
“How has Matt Hancock been able to worm his way out of every single question? @GMB,” asked one person.
But another viewer felt Piers and Susanna didn’t focus on solutions or the future.
“Why don’t you ask questions regarding today’s update on the virus?” they wrote.
“You are wasting an interview on the past where we can’t do anything!”
Why don’t you ask questions regarding today’s update on the virus you are wasting an interview on the past where we can’t do anything.. !!
— susan@knockleagh (@susanknockleag1) November 16, 2020
However, another person added: “This man is an utter disaster and his Government is culpable for thousands of deaths #goodmorningbritain #piersmorgan #gmb.”
Good Morning Britain airs on ITV, weekdays, from 6am.
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