Jeremy Hunt urges people to ‘grow up’ and stop calling him ‘Jeremy ‘C***’ The foreign secretary admitted that classmates at school regularly referred to him this way

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has called on broadcasters to “grow up” and stop using the c-word instead of his surname.

On Tuesday, BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire was the latest in a host of TV and radio figures to accidentally refer to the Conservative party leadership runner as “Jeremy C***” live on-air.

Speaking to Conservative MP Steve Brine, Ms Derbyshire said: “You say the man you are backing, Jeremy C***…”

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“I’m so sorry – Jeremy Hunt,” she corrected.

“I’ve never said that before in my life. It’s normally men who say that so I really, really want to apologise.”

Ms Derbyshire joins fellow BBC journalists Justin Webb and James Naughtie, plus Sky News reporter Thomas Moore and presenter Nicky Campbell – who made the same mistake just last week – in making the blunder.

Playground taunt

In conversation on the Daily Telegraph’s Brexit Podcast on Thursday, Mr Hunt implored broadcasters to refrain from using the profanity.

He also admitted that he was regularly referred to as “Jeremy C***” by his classmates at school.

“I’m used to it. I had this when I was at school. Personally I think people should just grow up and get over the fact that my last name rhymes with a rather unpleasant word,” he said.

Mr Hunt, who was head of school at the public school Charterhouse, also defended his privileged upbringing following comments by Conservative rival Sajid Javid who said the party needed to leave “the same old ties” behind.

Old school tie

“British people aren’t interested in your background; they’re interested in what you want to do, whether you can change the country for the better.

”We have to stop talking about backgrounds and get onto who’s got the best plan for the country … I don’t have an old school tie,” he said.

As the battle for the Conservative leadership continues, Mr Hunt has pledged to avoid a no-deal Brexit, describing it as “suicide” and committed to increasing defence spending.

He has emerged as the major opponent to Boris Johnson in the leadership race.

In response to recent suggestions by the US Ambassador that the NHS would be “on the table” in trade talks with the UK, Mr Hunt pushed back, stating that the “publicly run” institution is part of the UK’s “DNA” and would be a red line in any negotiations.