Matt Hancock responds to video of him wearing Newcastle jersey he promised to auction

Callum Boyle

Hancock claimed he was going to auction the shirt three years ago

Matt Hancock has responded to the backlash he has received over a recent TikTok video he posted.

Hancock – who has resorted to social media to rectify his public image in recent months – was spotted wearing a Newcastle United shirt as he delivered a message ahead of their Carabao Cup final tie against Manchester United. In the clip, the former MP couldn’t contain his excitement.

“So exciting! If you’ve been a Newcastle fan, we’ve waited years for this,” he exclaimed.

“We haven’t been to Wembley for years. This is the most exciting thing that happened since Kevin Keegan. Bring it on.”

Video reveals Matt Hancock won auction for a signed Newcastle shirt he donated to charity in 2020

What were the chances? #MattHancock #NewcastleUnited #news https://t.co/S1s25FFEht

— NEWS 23/5 (@NEWS23Five) February 27, 2023

Matt Hancock and the autographed jersey

It wasn’t to be for the Magpies as they were beaten 2-0 by United at Wembley as their search for a first major trophy since 1955.

For Hancock it got even worse though as people noticed that the I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here contestant was wearing the same Newcastle shirt he auctioned off to the NHS three years ago.

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, DJ Chris Evans hosted an auction in order to raise money for the NHS.

All the money raised would go to the charity Scrubs Glorious Scrubs, which sewed non-surgical scrubs for desperately under-equipped NHS staff.

Just shy of £600,000 was raised, with £1,850 of that coming via the shirt that Hancock had auctioned off.

In the description of the auction, the former MP said it had been gifted to him by his uncle, adding that “It was because of him that I am now a lifelong supporter and fan of Newcastle United.”

He had even offered to sign the shirt himself, however it’s unknown if he actually did.

Understandably, there was anger to see Hancock wearing a shirt he claimed to auction off for charity, however a spokesperson on behalf of the 44-year-old told LBC:

“Matt put his signed Newcastle football shirt up for sale as part of Chris Evans’ NHS charity appeal to raise money for scrubs, but the person who bought it very kindly gave Matt’s beloved shirt back to him as a gift.”

Win-win for everyone.