Bridget Phillipson’s attempts to promote the Department for Education’s work with Gemma Collins has fallen completely flat online.

The education secretary invited the reality TV star into her office on Tuesday to discuss the “government’s reform to vocational study” – all in front of a camera.

Collins, known for her comedic one-liners and dramatic behaviour on The Only Way Is Essex, also filmed an 18-second clip of her going into the government building and demanding: “Right! What are we doing to help the children?”

The DfE has confirmed Collins was not paid for the appearance and will be posting content on her own social media channels to promote the collaboration.

The department says the star, who left school with minimal qualifications, wanted to speak to Phillipson about how to make sure children like her are not left behind in life.

They discussed new V Levels and Occupational Pathways, two new qualifications for 16-year-olds who are not ready to progress beyond GCSEs due to lower attainment.

It’s part of a wider campaign from the government to bring vocational education on par with academic study.

The clip attracted more than 2.3 million views in less than 24 hours – but, judging by the comments, few people were impressed.

Many felt the DfE should be focusing on issues other than celebrity engagement, particularly as the government has come under intense scrutiny.

Ministers recently published an improvement plan for the UK’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme, as the number of pupils requiring additional help has increased.

Sector leaders have raised fears about funding and the workload implications for teachers.

Reform MP Suella Braverman also shared a particularly jarring list of all the problems within the education sector right now.

Some parents shared irate clips on Instagram, accusing the DfE of “making a mockery” of SEND families.

A Department for Education spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The department covers education throughout people’s lives, and it’s crucial that we meet people where they are, with information they need to know – whether that’s at weekly face to face events with parents and teachers or on social media platforms.

“We are proud of our achievements highlighted in the post on how we are transforming post-16 education, supporting the aspirations of young people who want high quality vocational courses.

“This collaboration has enabled us to reach a wider audience and make them aware of the opportunities they can benefit from, which is a key part of our commitment to transform the life chances of all children and young people.”

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