TV viewers who had been threatening to boycott I'm A Celebrity. . . Get Me Out Of Here! over Matt Hancock's domination of the Bushtucker Trials on the hit ITV show finally got their wish on Monday night. The much-criticised Tory MP took part in his sixth consecutive challenge on the show hosted by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly shortly after being named camp leader.
But at last, the Bushtucker baton was handed over to three campmates — and Hancock was given a rest. Since the former health secretary, 44, entered the campsite last Wednesday, the public had voted for him to take part in every trial. In Sunday's programme, Matt was stung by a scorpion before facing his fifth consecutive trial, House of Horrors. The task saw him having to crawl and search through a giant doll’s house full of pigeons, snakes and troughs full of offal, searching for stars to feed the camp.
When asked by co-host Dec why he thought the public kept voting for him to take part in the gruelling trials, Hancock responded: “It must be the facial expressions.” Facing his fear of snakes, the West Suffolk MP, who has been suspended from the Tory party due to partaking in the popular programme, located nine out of the 11 stars on offer, despite a snake attempting to strike him at eye level.
But ahead of his trial, Deserted Down Under, aired last night, viewers had been threatening to switch off the show if Matt continued to be chosen for the trials. @j.bc21 said on Twitter: "Not watching anymore. I'm fed up and sick and tired of Matt always being voted for these trials."
@becca0682 said: "It's ruining the show series really. I don't feel we really know anything else, it's just totally overwhelmed by campmates not liking him and his trials. Let's see something else."
@amy_ennisx wrote: "I'm actually sick of it now. I don't know if I'm gonna watch tomorrow it's boring dude." @3711.jake shred: "Pointless watching this show now I am done."
@Pete_Bassist tweeted: "Do not let him do the next one, if you do I'm switching off and outta here.."
@stevedawson933 shared: "Getting pathetic now this continual picking Matt Hancock for the trials. Are these other celebrities just there for an easy ride sitting around a camp fire! Time to switch off if this continues its getting boring #ImACeleb."
@MattyRatty55 added: "Oh woop... its Matt again... I feel so much joy in hearing its Matt again... #ImACeleb getting to the point where I won't bother watching this season #SwitchOff."
The message to the public finally got through on Monday night when they voted for Chris Moyles, Boy George and Babatunde Aleshe to undertake tonight's trial (Tuesday, November 15).
Earlier, even ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly had expressed how she was becoming "fed up" with Matt's screen time. Speaking to Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley during a teaser for her own self-titled show on Monday, she asked: "Are we fed up of the Matt Hancock show a little bit? Also give other people a wee chance."
Later, as her own show began, she shook her head as she spoke of Matt's appearance on the show, before repeating she was "fed up" with it being the "Matt Hancock show". And Ant and Dec themselves appeared underwhelmed with viewers picking up on their reaction after heading into the camp to reveal the results of the latest vote.
It also appeared that I'm A Celeb fans were keen to see Boy George do another trial. @trish776 posted: "WTF is wrong with the British public? Stop voting for Matt to do the trials, he breezes through them and it’s not entertaining. Vote for Boy George or Chris Moyles instead. #ImACeleb."
@_MollyJacobsen added: "Boy George for the next bunch of trials please! Hopefully will knock him down a peg or two #ImACeleb."
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