Matt Hancock (Victoria Jones/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Matt Hancock’s decision to abandon his constituents for three weeks of masochism in the Aussie jungle draws attention to a wider development: politics is increasingly a crossover genre with reality TV.
It’s not only that an ever-growing number of current and former MPs are appearing on our screens at primetime, although that is true. A politician is often a casting standard for shows such as I’m a Celebrity ... or Strictly Come Dancing these days — and one can see why.
From the producers’ perspective a politician usually fits the bill as the bogeyman whom the audience will love to hate. If the politician can subvert the stereotypes and win viewers over, so much the better. Such reversal of expectations makes for compelling TV.
For politicians, the move is not without jeopardy. Unguarded moments, un-PC comments and cringe-worthy antics can be career-curtailing. Nonetheless, the appeal of appearing on such programmes is obvious: a chance to win attention and boost their profile, while revelling in a competition that mirrors the gladiatorial nature of their day job. Six-figure cheques don’t hurt either.
But beyond politicians agreeing to eat grubs, dance, ice skate, sing or bake on screen, UK politics itself has become a sub-genre of reality TV — compulsive entertainment replete with all the high drama, low farce and occasional pathos of the most-watched shows.
Since the summer it’s been pacy, suspenseful, action-packed and highly addictive. And we’re only mid-series. Friends report binge-watching the news and being glued to 24-hour rolling coverage in the same way they used to consume Love Island.
But as we head into a winter that threatens to be bitterly challenging for many Brits, a period of dull dedication from our politicians is called for. We could certainly do without our MPs undergoing bushtucker trials or donning sequins on reality shows, but even more than that, the country would benefit from politics shedding its likeness to a must-watch TV series.
The signs of the last fortnight are that Tory MPs may agree. Rishi Sunak will be hoping the next two years are less wildly dramatic than the last two.
