Matt Hancock has said people will see him "warts and all" when he enters the Australian jungle. He also said “survival in the jungle is a good metaphor for the world I work in”, ahead of entering I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The former health secretary’s arrival in the Australian jungle was teased during Tuesday evening’s episode of the hit ITV reality show. Speaking in a video clip played at the end of the show, Hancock, 44, said: “When I’m in camp, people will just see the real me. Survival in the jungle is a good metaphor for the world I work in.
“People will see me warts and all. See the human side of the guy behind the podium. I don’t think I’ve got any fears or phobias, but I’m about to find out.”
During the programme, co-hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly teed up the arrival of two new campmates, which were confirmed to be Hancock and comedian Seann Walsh. Ant and Dec also informed the current celebrity contestants of the new arrivals and broke the news that both Hancock and Walsh, 36, would be undertaking the next trial.
Ahead of entering the jungle, Walsh said: “It seems that every single person that does the jungle says it’s the best experience of their life. So I’m up for that, I’m up for the best experience of my life. Who wouldn’t be?
“Over the years I’ve read a lot of things about myself and, you know, it does hurt and so I’d love for it to be a kind of new start and just maybe change opinions. That’d be really nice.”
Ant and Dec shared their excitement over the imminent arrival of the new celebrities with the viewers, with Dec saying: “I can’t wait to get those two in there.”
To which Ant added: “That’s it from us. We’ll be back tomorrow night at nine to see how Seann Walsh and Matt Hancock get on in the trial.”
Elsewhere in Tuesday’s episode, tensions began to grow between Boy George and Charlene White. The Culture Club singer described the journalist as “very controlling” as the pair clashed over cooking and camp organisation.
The contestants were given kangaroo sausages for their dinner, with lady fingers for dessert, with White, 42, taking charge of the preparation. Speaking in Bush Telegraph, where stars can share their thoughts with viewers in private, Scarlette Douglas jokingly described the camp as “Charlene’s kitchen”.
She added: “You do what she says, when she says it, get it right.” Later, Boy George, 61, took to the telegraph to say: “It’s so weird, that bag comes down and Charlene just turns into an entirely different person.
“It’s amazing, she issues orders and tells everyone what to do. I’m like, ‘Wow’. You know, it’s like, ‘Who are you?’”
After completing the washing up, presenter Douglas walked back into camp and said to Boy George: “Didn’t fancy helping, BG?”
He replied: “I just feel like Charlene’s very controlling. She tells you what to do and it really rubs you up the wrong way.
“I’m struggling with that, but I’ll get over it. It’s fine, she’s very sweet as well so it’s a real contradiction. There’s this controlling side and then there’s this caring side and it confuses me.”
Later during the episode, comedian Babatunde Aleshe successfully completed the Horrifying Heights challenge, securing all nine stars and earning the maximum number of meals for camp. Former Lioness Jill Scott and Hollyoaks’ Owen Warner also won a night in the more comfortable sleeping place of the RV.
The I’m A Celebrity… launch episode on Sunday night saw 10 new famous faces enter the Australian jungle for the first time since 2019, after the show was shot at Gwrych Castle in North Wales for the past two years due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The news of the new arrivals comes after former Love Island contestant Olivia Attwood was forced to withdraw from the ITV show on “medical grounds” after just one day in the jungle. ITV said the 31-year-old has been told by the programme’s medical team that it was not safe for her to return to camp. Attwood said “heartbroken is an understatement” after starting her journey home to the UK.
- I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues on Wednesday at 9pm on ITV and ITV Hub.
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