Matt Hancock has been languishing in the political wilderness since his humiliating exit from Boris Johnson's Cabinet.
But two months after losing his job for his Covid rule-breaking kiss with aide Gina Coladangelo, the former Health Secretary has popped up on the London Underground - and was ambushed by a group of rowdy young women enjoying a night out.
Mobbing the Tory backbencher, one asked "are you really Matt Hancock" before another stole his cap.
Another asked him to take off his mask, saying: "You've been double jabbed so we're good."
One of the gang later posted a clip of the video on TikTok, with text saying: "So we chased this man thinking it was someone we knew and turned out to be Matt Hancock," reads the text from the clip, posted widely on social media."
It adds: "We had a good old chat, we terrorise the poor man."
It adds: "We stole his hat so thanks for that, Matty boy."
The embarrassing episode, on the capital's District Line, also saw the young girls chanting and singing at the ex-Minister.
Before the women left the tube, Mr Hancock can be heard saying: “You go and enjoy yourselves."
One onlooker told The Sun Mr Hancock was "clearly loving the attention".
They told the newspaper: "When the group spotted who he was they sat next to him.
"One girl even sat on her mate's knee so Hancock had three women around him, they were getting pretty close.
"That is when he got up and went to stand near the doors.
"But there were more women there and they all followed him anyway and gathered around him.
"They grabbed the hat and he tried to get it back but they were all laughing and cheering.
"It was very funny.
"The woman put the hat on as the tube pulled out of the platform.
"It was all good-natured fun but I think if that had been me and not a group of drunk women, then it would be a different story.
"He [Hancock] looked uncomfortable after it happened because, I guess, it left him exposed for the rest of the journey.
"People could see who he was more clearly.
"He shouted after them to give it back and he tried to keep it on his head when the woman grabbed it, but she was too fast for him."
Mr Hancock, 42, has reportedly split with wife Martha Hancock to begin a new life with his ex aide
Last week he was pictured enjoying a holiday in Cornwall.
