Backlash over Department for Education videos with Gemma Collins

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Backlash over Department for Education videos with Gemma Collins 18 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleEmily HoltGetty ImagesThe Department for Education (DfE) has received backlash over its collaboration with TV reality star Gemma Collins promoting post-16 education on social media. Collins appears in a number of videos on the DfE's social media pages, including a sit down chat with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. People questioning the inclusion of The Only Way Is Essex star and campaigners angry with the government's provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have been critical of the videos.

Phillipson described some of the negative comments as "outright snobbery and just downright unpleasant" and argued Collins had a reach "politicians can't reach". The reality TV star who has appeared in shows, including Celebrity Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebs Go Dating and Dancing on Ice, has 2. 3 million Instagram followers, Her follower count dwarves DfE's 85,000 followers and Bridget Phillipson's 19,000 followers.

The Details

The DfE emphasised that the collaboration is about "how we are transforming post-16 education" and "supporting the aspirations of young people who want high quality vocational courses. "The understands that Collins chose to collaborate with the DfE in order to highlight alternative options for young people who feel university is not for them. Collins declined to comment.

She features in a video depicting her walking into the DfE offices with the background music from film The Devil Wears Prada. In the video, Collins asks "Right, what are we doing to help the children? She also sits down with Phillipson to chat about vocational courses and remarks of her love for monarch Richard III.

The DfE commented on their Instagram post, amid concerns about the department's spending on influencers, saying: "GC wasn't paid. The two had a great chat about the education system. "The Department for Education/InstagramCollins has appeared in multiple videos on the DfE's social media channels, including in conversation with Education Secretary Bridget PhillipsonAlthough SEND was not specifically mentioned in the DfE videos, Aimee Bradley, who has three autistic children and runs the parent campaign group SEND Sanctuary UK, told News she wants an apology over the videos.

What Experts Say

"Some parents are literally grieving children lost after years of unmet need, school trauma, mental health collapse, and systemic failure. "She is currently awaiting a tribunal for her son's placement in a school and was involved in a consultation on proposed changes to support SEND children and young people in England. Bradley described PR content and celebrity skits one day after the consultation closed as "honestly sickening.

"She added that there were "so many other people" who could have been involved in these videos who would have had "greater care and understanding.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.