Criticism Mounts Against Department for Education’s Partnership with Gemma Collins

The Department for Education (DfE) is facing intense scrutiny following its decision to partner with reality television personality Gemma Collins to promote post-16 educational opportunities via social media. The controversy stems from a series of videos featuring Collins, including an interview with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, which have drawn sharp criticism from both the public and advocacy groups.

Critics, including campaigners focused on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have questioned the appropriateness of featuring The Only Way Is Essex star in official government communications. In response, Phillipson dismissed some of the backlash as "outright snobbery and just downright unpleasant," defending the choice by highlighting Collins’ significant online influence, which she argued offered a reach that traditional politicians lack.

Collins, known for her appearances on Celebrity Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebs Go Dating, and Dancing on Ice, boasts 2.3 million Instagram followers. This figure significantly outpaces the DfE’s 85,000 followers and Phillipson’s 19,000. According to BBC insights, Collins agreed to the collaboration to showcase alternative career pathways for young people who do not wish to pursue university degrees. The star declined to comment further on the matter.

The promotional content includes a clip of Collins entering DfE offices set to the soundtrack of The Devil Wears Prada, where she asks, "Right, what are we doing to help the children?" Another segment features a conversation with Phillipson regarding vocational training and Collins’ personal interest in King Richard III. Amidst concerns regarding the government’s spending on influencer marketing, the DfE clarified on Instagram that Collins was unpaid, stating: "GC wasn't paid. The two had a great chat about the education system. Stay tuned."

Although the videos did not specifically address SEND issues, the timing and nature of the campaign have angered parents of children with additional needs. Aimee Bradley, founder of the campaign group SEND Sanctuary UK and mother to three autistic children, called for an apology. Bradley, who is currently awaiting a tribunal regarding her son’s school placement and participated in a recent consultation on SEND support reforms, described the PR stunt as "honestly sickening."

"Some parents are literally grieving children lost after years of unmet need, school trauma, mental health collapse, and systemic failure," Bradley told BBC News. She argued that the department could have selected individuals with more appropriate "care and understanding," adding, "It felt like a joke on us parents... there needs to be an apology for us parents, who are literally just fighting for our lives."

Amy White, a parent and advocate for children with SEND, echoed these sentiments, accusing the government of failing to "read the room." She criticized the use of a reality star without personal or professional experience in SEND support, describing the approach as "disconnected from the reality families face every single day." White labeled the campaign "frightening," "insensitive," and "downright insulting" to families striving to secure their children’s best interests.

Despite the widespread criticism, some educators support the strategic rationale behind the partnership. Teacher Russell Clarke told the BBC that while the choice of Collins might be easy to criticize, it makes sense if the goal is to engage younger audiences. "If the aim is to engage young people, they are unlikely to be actively following or interacting with the DfE unless the message is delivered by someone they already engage with on social media," he explained, noting the challenge of ensuring the core message does not get "blurred" by the medium.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-20 18:42:37 UTC