Chris Packham has mocked Matt Hancock for a charity video explaining why the politician is running the London Marathon.
The former Health Secretary recorded a clip saying he was running in the event to raise money for the Accessible Learning Foundation, a charity that helps people with dyslexia and neurodiversity.
Mr Hancock, who has been diagnosed with dyslexia, said in the footage he loved the ‘sense of excitement’ that comes with taking part in the event along with 50,000 other runners.
However, it earned a less than welcome response from Mr Packham, who held his head in his hands when he was shown the video on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
He then went on to criticise Mr Hancock for what he perceived to be a ‘lack of sincerity’.
In the clip which had been shown to the studio, Mr Hancock revealed why he was running this year’s marathon.
He said: ‘I love the marathon, I love the crowds, the sense of excitement and I love that all the runners are running for a good cause.
‘In my case I’m running for the Accessible Learning Foundation, a brilliant neurodiversity charity, but everybody’s got a cause that they’re running for, and so there’s this real real spirit.’
When the camera cut back to the studio Mr Packham could be seen holding his head in his hands, sparking laughter from the panel of entrepreneur Luke Johnson and Lib Dem MP Layla Moran.
Ms Kuenssberg said: ‘Well, good sports all. Chris has his head in his hands, I’ve got ask why?’
Mr Packham then leaned back and said: ‘Sorry, it’s just Matt’s lack of sincerity I think.’
Mr Hancock resigned as Health Secretary after he was found to have had a lockdown affair with his adviser Gina Coladangelo at the same time he was overseeing rules arund social distancing.
Mr Hancock shared three children with his osteopath wife, Martha, who he told about the affair shortly before it was splashed in the press.
He has since sought to forge a career on reality TV, with appearances on Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!
He was stripped of the Conservative whip in November 2022 after announcing he had flown to Australia to appear on I’m A Celebrity despite Parliament being in session, and has since announced his intention to step down as an MP at the next election.
Mr Hancock will be among 50,000 runners taking part in today’s London Marathon.
Other famous faces include comedian and TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan.
He is running for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably, the day after starting his new Radio 2 Saturday morning show, taking over from Claudia Winkleman.
Hardest Geezer Russ Cook, who finished running the entire length of Africa on April 7, will take part in support of the Running Charity.
The 2023 marathon, the world’s biggest annual one day fundraising event, raised £63 million for thousands of charities.
The event kicked off with the wheelchair field starting at 9.05am, followed by the elite women at 9.25am and the elite men at 10am.
From 10am until 1.30am waves of thousands of amateur runners, including celebrities, set off from the starting line in Greenwich Park.
Runners make their way through the 26.2-mile route through London and past some of the city’s most famous landmarks including Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf The Tower of London, The London Eye and Big Ben, before finishing on the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.
There was 30 seconds of applause before the race in memory of last year’s elite men’s race winner Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a car accident in February at the age of 24.
He set a new London Marathon record of two hours, one minute and 25 seconds last year with his third win, and set a new world record of two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago in October.
This year’s race will be the first time that wheelchair and non-disabled athletes have received the same prize money for a marathon.
All four winners of the elite races will receive £44,000, with the runner-up receiving £24,000 and third place £18,000.
David Weir, who will be racing his 25th consecutive London Marathon on Sunday and has won eight times, said he had not expected the change to happen in his lifetime.
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