Richard Madeley says Rishi Sunak is asking for a 'smack' over maths plan

Richard Madeley has said that Rishi Sunak is asking for a "smack" over his proposed plan for all pupils in England to be taught maths until they are 18.

The prime minister's policy has already drawn criticism amid extensive strike action, a crisis in the NHS and soaring price increases.

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While England is one of the few major developed countries not to offer some sort of maths education all the way through school, Madeley criticised Sunak on Good Morning Britain.

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Talking to Mirror editor Kevin Maguire, Madeley said: "He’s asking for a smack in the chops, isn’t he? Politically speaking."

His co-host Susanna Reid quickly jumped in to say: "Metaphorically, shall we say."

Madeley spent much of Christmas ill, announcing on his return to Good Morning Britain after the holidays that he had never been so sick.

He told viewers: "I had that [superbug] all Christmas for a month. Never had anything like it before. In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a new strain of COVID going around."

He added: "I took a test every week, it was always negative, but I can’t help thinking that’s what I had."

The former This Morning presenter has had a rough run of luck of late after suffering a fall shortly before Christmas after tripping in the snow.

Appearing on a special episode of Good Morning Britain based out of Whiston Hospital in Liverpool, Madeley said: "It snowed here, I think the day before yesterday, so they’ve had a lot of falls. l. I fell over this morning getting out of the car."

His co-presenter Kate Garraway added: "Richard nearly didn’t make it on air. It was very tense."