Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has defended a government social media video featuring reality TV star Gemma Collins, dismissing the backlash as a mix of "outright snobbery" and "downright unpleasant" attitudes.
Video Sparks Controversy
The video, released by the Department for Education (DfE), shows Collins, 45, striding through the department's offices with her hands on her hips, demanding: "What are we doing to help the children?" The former The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) star, who left school with minimal qualifications, later sits down with Ms Phillipson to discuss V-levels and occupational pathways.
The clip has amassed over 2.6 million views on X alone, making it the DfE's most-viewed video since January 2024. On Instagram, 86% of viewers do not follow the DfE account, and reach among under-34s was over 30% higher than average on Facebook and 10% higher on Instagram, according to sources. Collins was not paid for her appearance.
Minister's Defence
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Ms Phillipson said: "She has got an incredible reach in terms of the kinds of voters and the audience and the citizens that we want to reach. So it was a great opportunity." She added: "I think some of the discussion around this that I've seen has veered between outright snobbery and just downright unpleasant really and just a bit of killjoy attitude."
Ms Phillipson emphasised Collins's message: "She, in the discussion we had, was really keen to stress about how important it is that young people try hard at school, value education... And if she can get that message across to some of the young people that frankly don't really care what the Secretary of State for Education has got to say about the topic, then I think that's good for all of us."
Criticism from Educators and Parents
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, criticised the use of a celebrity amid teacher pay concerns. He wrote: "An unfunded 3.3% pay award for support staff and 3.5% for teachers would leave mainstream schools £870m short. But don't worry, the Department for Education have brought in TOWIE stars to save the day."
Independent MP Rosie Duffield, who resigned from Labour in 2024, said the video would "be funny if SEND wasn't an urgent daily issue" for "many desperate parents and pupils."
One parent, Helen, told the BBC the video made her "cross" and questioned Collins's relevance. She said: "I can think of far better social media stars who have more recent experience of education. Bridget should be speaking more to parents such as myself." Ms Phillipson responded: "I recognise what Helen says about the importance of listening to parents, speaking with parents and people working in education. That is what I do every single day... It's the bread and butter of what I do."
