Boris Johnson Covid inquiry hearing derailed just MINUTES after starting as furious protester heckles ex-PM

Johnson responded: "I understand the feelings of the victims and their families and I am deeply sorry for the pain and the loss and the suffering of those victims and their families."

The ex-Prime Minister, who called the Covid Inquiry during his time in Downing Street, arrived at the venue three hours before his grilling at 7am.

WATCH NOW: Boris Johnson being heckled at the Covid Inquiry 

Johnson told Hugo Keith KC that mistakes were made but that the decisions he took ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

He said: "Inevitably, in the course of trying to handle a very difficult pandemic... we may have made mistakes.

"I think we were doing our best at the time, given what we knew...we did our level best."

However, ahead of Johnson's appearance, Covid-bereaved families accused the 59-year-old of preparing to deliver a "“grotesque distortion of the truth”.

A solicitor for the families also insisted there was a “deadly culture of impunity, arrogance, incompetence” in Number 10.

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Almost 200,000 people died with coronavirus in England.

The pandemic played a major role in Johnson's downfall after the Metropolitan Police issued the former Prime Minister with a fine during partygate.

Johnson resigned as the MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip this summer ahead of the privileges committee's damning report into whether he misled MPs over his comments about rule-breaking gatherings in Whitehall.

However, the former Prime Minister's appearance today was marred by concerns about leaks and missing WhatsApp messages.

Baroness Hallett stressed her frustration about leaks concerning Johnson's evidence being given to the media.

She said: "Until a witness is called and appears at a hearing, or the inquiry publishes the witness's statement, it's meant to be confidential between the witness, the inquiry and the core participants."

Keith outlined how as many as 5,000 messages were missing as Johnson claimed he could not access an old phone which was then "activated by some technical people".

He added: "I haven't removed WhatsApps from my phone.

"I want to make that clear. I have given everything you need."

However, Johnson's appearance will also give the former Prime Minister to opportunity to provide his side of the story after a number of ex-colleagues slammed his leadership and handling of the pandemic.

Former Vote Leave and Number 10 insiders Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain argued Johnson had the "wrong skill set" to deal with the virus and claimed the ex-Prime Minister was particularly "indecisive".

Johnson will give evidence at Dorland House until 4.30pm today and return for a second grilling at 10am tomorrow.