PLATELL’S PEOPLE: Broken rules, Mr Hancock? What about your wife’s heart?
One can only imagine the sense of dread Matt Hancock must have felt when he had to tell his wife of 15 years they ‘needed to talk’.
To inform her that pictures of him in passionate embraces with one of his aides were about to appear everywhere, on TV, in newspapers, all over social media.
It seems that, behind her back, as she waved him off to work each day, he was conducting an affair with the beautiful, married Gina Coladangelo, a woman she had probably entertained as a dutiful political wife.
How can the Health Secretary live with himself after such an appalling betrayal? While she thought he was saving the world from Covid, he was grappling with something — or someone — beyond her worst fears.
Martha must feel utterly belittled as her agony is splashed across the public domain. And how world shattering for their three children.
She won’t be fussing over whether the appointment of Coladangelo broke the official rules. All any loyal, betrayed wife would see is that picture of her husband urgently kissing another woman, his hand placed on his paramour’s bottom, seared into her mind forever.
How can the Health Secretary live with himself after such an appalling betrayal? While his wife, Martha (above with him), thought he was saving the world from Covid, he was grappling with something — or someone — beyond her worst fears
One can only imagine the sense of dread Matt Hancock must have felt when he had to tell his wife of 15 years they ‘needed to talk’. To inform her that pictures of him in passionate embraces with one of his aides were about to appear everywhere. It seems that, behind her back, as she waved him off to work each day, he was conducting an affair with the beautiful, married Gina Coladangelo. (Above, Mr Hancock’s kiss with Ms Coladangelo is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health’s HQ on May 6 this year)
Leaked messages suggest the PM viewed Hancock’s performance as Health Secretary as ‘hopeless’. He is worse than that as a husband.
The arrogance of his ‘affair’ is breathtaking. And reckless. Do politicians not realise that when they become MPs, their family can become public collateral damage?
That as holders of the highest offices of state they are expected to hold themselves to a higher standard?
Martha must feel utterly belittled as her agony is splashed across the public domain. And how world shattering for their three children. (Above, Mr Hancock and Ms Coladangelo earlier this month)
Most women faced with a husband’s infidelity can weep in private, seek counsel from family and close friends, take time to decide whether to boot him out or make it work for the sake of the children.
Not so for Martha Hancock. Her personal life is unfolding in excruciating detail for all of us to see.
And as for Hancock’s aide Gina, what’s the betting she’ll now lose her role in his office while he stubbornly clings on to his job? How very progressive!
While working for William Hague, I was often asked about why he and his wife Ffion did not have children. In the end, Ffion bravely told the world about her miscarriages and the pain of the childlessness that followed.
Sadly, the personal becomes public property in politics.
Hancock did make a public apology yesterday — for ‘breaking social distancing rules’. What about breaking his wife’s and children’s hearts?
Britney tears
Britney Spears has her demons, resulting in a very public breakdown in 2007 when she shaved off her hair.
Her father Jamie and others were then given ‘conservatorship’ over her fortune — worth £43 million today — and, it appears, her entire life for 13 years.
Britney Spears’s father Jamie and others were given ‘conservatorship’ over her fortune — worth £43 million today — and, it appears, her entire life for 13 years
She told a court this week they forced her to use contraceptives; they wouldn’t let her marry her boyfriend; and they are still living off her estate.
That all this could be inflicted on Britney by her own father, the one man in the world any girl or woman has the right to depend upon unconditionally is, in the words of her song: Criminal.
All hail Anne Robinson, 76, returning to our screens on Countdown next week, quipping: ‘I’m the oldest woman on television not judging cakes.’
Talent, tenacity, an acid tongue — age certainly cannot wither her.
All hail Anne Robinson, 76, returning to our screens on Countdown next week
Westminster wars
- The Government’s Flexible Working tsar Peter Cheese says we should embrace a four-day working week as the new normal. What a ninny. The reality for businesses needing staff in their offices means that the four-dayers will soon be no-dayers.
- What a pity George Galloway joined the race in the Yorkshire by-election splitting the Labour vote by stoking dissent in the large Muslim community with his anti-Israel ideology. It’s Jo Cox’s old seat, now being fought by her sister Kim, who’s proudly bearing Jo’s belief that ‘we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us’.
- We know the PM emulates Winston Churchill, yet does he really want to look like him? He looks as big as ever. Time perhaps to try the whippet-fit Rishi Sunak’s 6am intensive cycle workout and a few berries with yoghurt for breakfast. Oh how the raging fire of ambition burns those calories.
A Washington library has unearthed a book the Duchess of Sussex penned, aged 14, accompanied by a drawing of a mixed-race girl entitled A Face Without Freckles . . . Is A Night Without Stars.
Her dad used to say that to her when she was a child. Yes, the same father who lives not far away from her in LA yet has never met her husband Harry, nor her two children, nor seen her for years.
May I humbly suggest to Meghan that a life without your dad is a life without stars.
Another office affair!
Love Island hadn’t even started before contestant Chloe Burrows, 25, posted a video bragging about steamy sex with a colleague, who has a wife and kids. ‘They’re not really off limits. I’m partial to a married man.’
One Twitter user claimed she was the man in question’s daughter, posting: ‘Dad’s PA has gone on Love Island and admitted an affair, how’s your day?’ — though the post is no longer visible.
Stung by the social media backlash, Chloe says she dumped her colleague when she learned he was married. A PA so thick she doesn’t even know her superior’s matrimonial status?
After all the inspiring backstories from England footballers such as Marcus Rashford about how their single mums went hungry to feed them, it’s also heartening to learn about Bukayo Saka, 19, our Man Of The Match against the Czechs.
He’s a devout Christian, lives with his mum, dad and brother, and there are no flashy cars on Instagram.
His parents insisted he got a good education, so Bukayo did his homework in the back of the car on his way to football, from which he now earns £10,000 a week.
Bukayo and his family are role models for kids everywhere.
Bye bye Bruno
A resounding Ten for Strictly giving Anton Du Beke the fourth judge’s chair for the next series, the longest-serving and most-loved dancer on the show, the man who made Ann Widdecombe look almost graceful.
He replaces the gratingly irritating Bruno Tonioli, who menacingly suggests Anton’s won’t be there for long, and he’ll be back as soon as travel restrictions allow him.
No chance, Bruno. Once Anton is in your seat, with his natural charm and love of the underdog — his pert butt will be in that chair forever.
A resounding Ten for Strictly giving Anton Du Beke (left) the fourth judge’s chair for the next series, the longest-serving and most-loved dancer on the show, the man who made Ann Widdecombe look almost graceful. He replaces the gratingly irritating Bruno Tonioli (right)
The latest daft edict from the Church of England is that we desist from calling our clergy ‘Reverend’, as such deference aids and abets sexual abusers to cover their crimes.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, should get out more, as his dwindling flock of parishioners haven’t called them that for decades. Down in my parish it’s just Father Paul.
Rather comforting, actually, as the few of us Christians left get some sense of grace from calling a priest Father when praying to Our Father.
He would, wouldn’t he…
Re Handy Hancock, Boris Johnson yesterday said ‘he considered the matter closed’. Well, he would wouldn’t he, having had three affairs with subordinates — Petronella Wyatt on the Spectator magazine, Jennifer Acuris while he was London Mayor, and his current wife Carrie Symonds, then the head of comms for the Tory Party — all while he was still married.
I am gutted that my moggy Ted didn’t make the shortlist of the Cats Protection National Cat Awards, honouring feline heroes.
Favourite to win is three-legged Minty, who taught Connor Raven, six — a boy with severe learning and mobility difficulties — to climb the stairs jumping one step at a time and stopping to let Connor catch up.
Crikey, Ted does that, leading me upstairs whenever I have too many glasses of Chablis. Or is his incentive a bowl of night-time Felix treaties by the bedroom door?
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