Boris Johnson gave Matt Hancock ‘personal advice’ on how to cope with exposure of affair

Boris Johnson gave Matt Hancock “personal advice” on how to cope with the private turmoil unleashed by his extramarital affair being exposed, the former health secretary has revealed.

Mr Hancock said that Mr Johnson - whose infidelities have ended up in the press on a number of occasions - gave him advice on his private life “as a friend” after his relationship with Gina Coladangelo was publicised.

The revelations appear in his upcoming memoir, Pandemic Diaries: The Inside Story of Britain’s Battle Against Covid, which is serialised in the Mail on Sunday.

Mr Hancock described how he contacted Mr Johnson on the day he discovered the affair was going to be exposed.

“I called the PM: no stranger to personal turmoil and, it turned out, the kindest of confidants in these ghastly circumstances,” he said. “He was thoughtful, considered and as supportive as he could be for everyone involved.”

Mr Johnson “listened carefully” before telling him: "’First, I’m going to talk to you as a friend, and then we’ll talk about the politics.’

“He gave me some personal advice, after which he assured me that my private life should not affect my public position.”

When it became clear the following day that his position was untenable, Mr Hancock travelled to Chequers to tell Mr Johnson that he had decided to resign.

The memoir reveals that a resignation video posted by Mr Hancock had actually been filmed by Mr Johnson at the country retreat.

“In the end, the great machinery of the state was nowhere. It was just me and the PM fumbling around with an iPhone,” he said. “He stood on the grass, holding the phone while I said my piece. It took a few goes to get it right.

“He nodded sympathetic encouragement so much throughout the first take that the camera waved up and down. In the end it wasn’t perfect, but I was beyond caring: I had to get it out."

Mr Hancock also revealed that Mr Johnson advised him to lie low in the aftermath.

“As for Boris – well, if anyone knows how to survive a catastrophic political and personal mistake, it’s him.

“‘Time to dive beneath the ice cap,’ was his advice.”

Mr Hancock said that informing his wife of the relationship was the “very worst conversation” of his life.

“I felt desperate for my family, my children and Gina’s family and her children, and powerless to protect them,” he said. “Worse was the knowledge that Gina and I had brought all this on them.

“Gina’s feelings of shame and guilt were nearly overpowering her. The jokes and cartoons on social media were excruciating. We were being publicly humiliated, again and again.”

Reflecting on the episode, Mr Hancock said: “What price love? I’ve always known from novels that people will risk everything.

“They are ready to blow up their past, their present and their future. They will jeopardise everything they have worked for and everything that is solid and certain.”