5 Instances Where Politicians Were Embarrassed by WhatsApp Leaks

Sure! Here’s a rewritten version of your article:

—

Matt Hancock's WhatsApp Leak Scandal

Former U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock—best known in recent years for his appearance on the reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!—found himself embroiled in controversy when his own biographer leaked his WhatsApp messages to The Telegraph.

In the leaked exchanges, Hancock stated he wanted to “frighten the pants off everyone” to secure public compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. He also took aim at teaching unions, calling them a “bunch of absolute arses.” Not exactly the most diplomatic approach from someone in government. In response to the leak, Hancock accused The Telegraph of presenting a “partial, biased account to suit an anti-lockdown agenda.”

Boris Johnson and Missing Messages

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson also faced scrutiny over his WhatsApp messages during the U.K.’s COVID-19 inquiry—but for an entirely different reason.

Rather than specific revelations from his texts, Johnson’s controversy stemmed from the fact that almost 5,000 of his private WhatsApp messages from the height of the pandemic were mysteriously missing. His explanation? He blamed it on software that supposedly “automatically erased” them—though details remained vague.

Even more concerning was Johnson’s reported use of WhatsApp to communicate with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while in office. Known for freely sharing his private phone number with world leaders during his time as foreign secretary, Johnson’s casual approach to security raised serious concerns.