Piers Morgan accused the Health Secretary of misjudging the public mood by refusing to admit the Government was ill-prepared for coronavirus.
The ITV Good Morning Britain host grilled Mr Hancock during an on-air video interview, in which the Health Secretary claimed the UK was one of the "best-prepared countries in the world" for a pandemic.
Mr Hancock said the UK had a large stockpile of PPE (personal protective equipment) before the coronavirus pandemic and praised his Government's 'mammoth' covid-19 testing preparation.
With NHS staff reporting widespread shortages of PPE equipment and UK testing rates lagging behind Germany's, Mr Morgan was unconvinced by Mr Hancock's claim. He told the Health Secretary that he would admire the minister more if he admitted the UK was ill-prepared.
In a frosty exchange, Mr Hancock accused the TV host of interrupting him and not letting him answer questions.
Mr Morgan responded: "Stop playing that game with me, Mr Hancock. With the greatest of respect to you, you're just buying yourself a bit of time."
He added: "Your resolute refusal to concede you made any mistakes here grates with me and misjudges the public mood."
Mr Hancock said: "I'm now going to answer the previous question and then that question and you're not going to interrupt me. Let me speak."
Mr Morgan then told Mr Hancock that the MP does not run the ITV show.
Mr Hancock replied: "No, but I'll decide what I say as Health Secretary."
"Sure and I'll challenge it," Mr Morgan replied.
"You do your job and I'll do mine."
