David Gauke said he might tune in to follow progress of Birkbeck law student Sharon Gaffka
Love Island law student Sharon Gaffka’s former boss, ex Lord Chancellor David Gauke, has wished her well on the dating show, “whatever that might involve”.
Days after he expressed his “surprise” to see the civil servant on the ITV2 programme — which returned on Monday — Gauke was asked if he had been following her progress.
In an interview on Sky News yesterday, he said: “I haven’t been watching. My focus has been very much on the football but I wish her well.”
Gauke added: “I hope she does well in Love Island, whatever that might involve.”
When asked if he had ever watched the show, Gauke responded: “I haven’t, no. But maybe I will tune in just to see how she’s getting on at some point.”
Gaffka, who was until recently operations lead for the Department of Transport, worked in the Ministry of Justice while Gauke was Lord Chancellor, in 2018.
"I hope she does well on Love Island, whatever that may involve."
Former Lord Chancellor @DavidGauke on his ex-employee Sharon Gaffka signing up for the villa.#KayBurley #LoveIsland UF pic.twitter.com/5jkKRH9Tul
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) June 30, 2021
Gaffka, 25, is currently coupled up with PE teacher Hugo Hammond, 22, on the reality show. The pair haven’t had the best of starts; Gaffka pulled Hammond aside for a chat in yesterday’s episode to question why he had been “avoiding her”.
“I knew from the word go that I wasn’t your type and that’s perfectly fine,” the Birkbeck law student and “future lawyer” said. “What annoyed me is I feel like you avoid me and you don’t talk to me.”
Hammond defended his lack of communication, saying “there hasn’t been time”. He then apologised for making her feel as if he were giving her the “cold shoulder”.
“I definitely wasn’t avoiding you and I don’t want you to feel like that,” he said.
Two new male contestants are set to enter the Spanish villa tonight — could this mean Gaffka’s head gets turned?
Gauke admitted earlier this week he was “very surprised” to see the beauty queen announced in this year’s line-up. He also thanked Gaffka for her praise of him as “very human, very natural and very funny”.
“Being a cabinet minister can be a pretty serious business most of the time, but there are the occasional lighter moments,” the former solicitor turned Macfarlanes public policy head told the Mirror. “I suppose, as Lord Chancellor, I was trying to cultivate a reputation for authority and gravitas, but if I came across as fun, I won’t complain.”
Gauke may not be a Love Island man, but he was in attendance at our virtual awards ceremony this year to present the prize for Best Legal Cheek Journal submission. In 2019, we had former Love Island star and solicitor Rosie Williams do the same in London’s iconic ‘Cheesegrater’ building, but for our social media award.
Love Island continues tonight on ITV2 at 9pm.