Crucial giveaways that reveal Matt Hancock’s I’m A Celeb confession was a carefully rehearsed performance, expert says

MATT Hancock’s I’m A Celeb ‘confession’ was a carefully rehearsed “set-piece”, according to a body language expert.

Judi James described the former Health Secretary’s admission of guilt over his lockdown-busting affair with aide Gina Coladangelo as “politically-structured”.

Mr Hancock made the confession as he was quizzed by fellow contestant Babatunde Aleshe.

Judi told The Sun Online: “This looks very much like Matt’s set-piece: the re-hab moment he has been prepping for this jungle visit as well as a moment he has performed before, but clearly not to such a wide audience.

“It also looks like a politically-structured  performance aimed at swerving all the difficult aspects and details of his story and any emotional displays needed to show shame or regret, and re-directing the audience’s focus onto the positive message Matt wants to get across, complete with sound-bites and emotional body language that would show him in a good light.”

The expert added that Mr Hancock’s posture seems carefully designed to “seek our forgiveness” and points to his “dog house” posture and “I messed up and I ‘fessed up” soundbite as key giveaways.

She said: “There is an acted sense of humility and of ‘being in the dog house’ in his chosen pose as he sits with his arms resting on his legs so his back is hunched forward and his head bowed.

“This is a submissive ritual in the animal kingdom and the head lowering would be seen as a survival response to avoid attack.”

The disgraced MP told campmate Babtunde: “I messed up and I ’fessed up. I resigned and it’s no excuse but I fell in love, right?

“That also had a lot of other consequences, obviously.”

The comedian then quipped back “You didn’t just ‘fall in love’, you were grabbing booty, bruv.”

On this exchange, Judi said: “His re-direction techniques are visible in the changes in his body language between the elephant in the room, which he refers to quickly as ‘other consequences’, adding the word ‘obviously’, which is a dismissive word letting Babatunde know that he does not want to go there.

“His right hand performs more of a dismissive gesture here and there are no body language signals of regret or guilt about these massive ‘other consequences’.”

Mr Hancock separated from his wife after The Sun revealed the affair and is now in a relationship with Ms Coladangelo.

Judi continued: “Matt’s total body language focus here is on his key sound-bite ‘excuse’ of being ‘a man in love’. He glances away from Babatunde when he gets to this part in his dialogue and he performs an illustrative ritual by gazing in a reflective pose as though seeing Gina’s face.

“His features soften and his voice drops slightly and he performs a soft smile as though wanting to show his emotionally helpless side.

“By using a lover’s smile and eye gaze as he thinks and talks about Gina he seems to want to use non-verbal air-brushing by displaying the ‘good’ emotion that he claims drove him to his downfall.

“But he also performs several subtler signals to let Babatunde know that he has his permission to ask these questions. His vocal tone rises and he nods to suggest he is keen to be interviewed.

“When he says ‘I resigned’ he plays with his right cuff  in a formal, smartening up gesture, miming doing up his cuffs as though re-living a moment where he felt he did the right and decent thing professionally.”

The expert added: “His body language cues also hint that he is not too unhappy when Babatunde makes his ‘booty’ comments.

“Matt looks away saying ‘Oh give over’ but his naughty grin seems to hint at some collusion as his cheeks get round and his eyes crinkle to suggest he is as amused as he is ‘shocked’.”

Overall, Judi felt that the whole segment looked “like a politician’s ‘confession’ complete with a dismissive sound bite of ‘I messed and I fessed’ that he offers so quickly it sounds pre-packaged and much used.”