I’m A Celebrity 2022 will feature former Health Secretary Matt Hancock after he ‘signed up’ as a surprise contestant, it’s been claimed.
The Conservative MP, 44, will reportedly join the rest of the I’m A Celebrity 2022 line-up in Australia as a latecomer to the camp, along with Seann Walsh.
He resigned from the Government in the summer of 2021 after breaking lockdown rules during an affair in his ministerial office with married aide Gina Coladangelo.
I’m A Celebrity 2022 lands ‘sensational signing’
A source told The Sun Mr Hancock was a “last-minute signing” for the ITV reality series hosted by Ant and Dec.
The TV insider said: “Matt is a sensational signing for the show. Producers love a star with a story to tell. And they always hope they’ll spill the beans round the campfire.
“He’s the latest in a long line of figures from the political sphere. MP Nadine Dorries, Stanley Johnson and MP Lembit Opik have taken part.
Negotiations over Matt Hancock going in were so top secret.
“There’s been a question mark over who the 12th campmate would be. [This was] partly because negotiations over Matt going in were so top secret. It seems Matt was a last-minute signing.”
However, a senior Government source told the tabloid: “People are pretty shocked to be honest.”
Additionally, the publication claims Mr Hancock revealed his news to Tory colleagues after not getting promoted in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s reshuffle.
Hancock’s colleagues unhappy
Elsewhere, observers are not as impressed with Mr Hancock’s involvement as The Sun’s TV source.
Furthermore, Mr Hancock has had the Conservative whip withdrawn.
Chief whip Simon Hart MP commented: “Following a conversation with Matt Hancock, I have considered the situation and believe this is a matter serious enough to warrant suspension of the whip with immediate effect.”
Additionally, the deputy chairman of the West Suffolk Conservative Association – Mr Hancock’s local party – has indicated his displeasure to reporters.
Andy Drummond said: “I’m looking forward to him eating a kangaroo’s penis.”
And a representative for the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group insisted Mr Hancock should focus on co-operating with the inquiry into the pandemic.
Lobby Akinnola said: “If he had any respect for the families like mine, he would be sharing his private emails with the COVID inquiry, not eating bugs on TV.”
‘I hope he has a strong stomach’
Elsewhere, social media users slammed the casting. And many also made mention of Hancock enduring Bushtucker Trials.
“I hope he has a strong stomach. As I suspect the public vote for trials is going to favour him quite strongly,” one Twitter user wrote.
Another person agreed: “Matt Hancock is going to get a right bashing in the jungle. He’s going to do every single trial.”
And somebody else tweeted: “Interesting that Matt Hancock seems to think that abandoning his constituency and travelling 10,000 miles to, potentially, eat things like kangaroo testicles and cockroaches will be less harmful to his career than being around to vote with the Government.
“He might be right as well.”
ED! has approached a representative for I’m A Celebrity for comment.
I’m a Celebrity 2022 starts on ITV on Sunday November 6.
Read more: I’m A Celebrity line-up revealed as bookies announce early favourite to win
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