Former health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed on Tuesday he is heading Down Under for the latest series of ITV’s I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, as he becomes the latest in a long line of celebrities and public figures to try their hand at reality television. Mr Hancock, 44 - who was health secretary throughout the Covid-19 pandemic until he was forced to resign - has been criticised for his decision to enter the jungle at a time when the country is grappling with a cost-of-living crisis.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed he had been suspended from the Conservative Party following the announcement, with campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice calling his decision “sickening”. Tory MP Tim Loughton called Mr Hancock an “absolute prat” for his decision to enter the jungle, as reported by the BBC, slamming him for a “serious error of judgement.”
Writing in The Sun, Mr Hancock defended his decision to take part in I’m a Celeb, saying politicians must “go where the people are” and said the show is a “powerful tool” to reach young people. He insisted: “I have not lost my marbles or had one too many pina coladas”.
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But Matt is not the first politician to swap the Commons for reality TV in a bid to boost their profile or spread their message. Many sitting MPs have entered the jungle or the Big Brother house to help them reach a new audience – or simply rake in an often hefty appearance fee.
Penny Mordaunt
In 2014, the now-leader of the House of Commons competed in ITV’s diving contest Splash!, where Olympian Tom Daley taught celebrities how to dive. Her most infamous moment came when she belly-flopped into the pool while trying to perform a backwards dive.
Appearing alongside celebs including Gemma Collins, Michaela Strachan and Danielle Lloyd, the former Tory leadership hopeful eventually became the ninth contestant to be eliminated. Penny’s political opponents criticised her appearance on the show, but she said she was promoting a worthy cause in her constituency, and refuted claims that she was chasing fame, The Times reported.
Nadine Dorries
One of former prime minister Boris Johnson’s staunchest allies, Mid Bedfordshire MP Nadine Dorries traded Westminster for the Australian jungle in 2012 when she entered I’m a Celeb. She was criticised by her colleagues and temporarily suspended from the Conservative Party for not informing them of the move and failing to declare her £82,000 fee.
Nadine did not spend much time Down Under, becoming the first celeb to be voted out after less than two weeks, but not before she chowed down on ostrich anus and a camel toe as part of the show’s bushtucker trials.
Lembit Öpik
Former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik also endured a stint in the jungle in 2010. The ex-husband of Cheeky Girl Gabriela Irimia was not a big hit with viewers or his fellow campmates, becoming the second celeb to be voted out of the contest.
He particularly hit a nerve with actor Nigel Havers, who said wanted “to kill” Lembit during their time together. Lembit was also bitten by a snake during one task, and later made appearances on Come Dine with Me and Bargain Hunt Famous Finds.
Ann Widdecombe
The former Conservative MP and Home Office minister became a surprise hit in 2010 when she competed in Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with professional dancer Anton Du Beke. Then-Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli brutally described her as “a Dalek in drag” during her time on the show, yet despite her apparent lack of ability in the ballroom, Ann made it to the quarter final of the contest.
Ann also made headlines after entering the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2018 for the show’s twenty-first series, eventually placing second behind drag queen Courtney Act.
George Galloway
Perhaps one of the most infamous pieces of reality TV came in 2016, when George Galloway entered the Celebrity Big Brother house for its fourth series. In one episode, the former MP pretended to be a cat as part of a task with Rula Lenska.
George asked Rula, “Now would you like me to be the cat?” and what followed became one of the most bizarre and cringe-worthy moments in Big Brother history. George got down on all fours while purring and pretending to lick milk from the cupped hands of the actress, who said, “there, there pussycat.”
George spent three weeks in the house and placed joint-seventh with US basketball player Dennis Rodman
Michael Fabricant
In 2017, the Conservative MP for Lichfield, Staffordshire was found looking for love in the celebrity edition of Channel 4’s First Dates. Reacting to the news during Prime Minister’s Questions, then-PM Theresa May said: “I have noticed that my Honourable Friend apparently is shortly to appear on a Channel 4 programme called Celebrity First Dates.
“What I'm not sure about is whether my Honourable Friend is the celebrity or the first date.”
Sadly for Michael, he was unlucky in love on the show, after his prospective lover offended him by aiming several digs at his hair. The MP also came out as bisexual during his appearance.
Ed Balls
Another MP to dazzle viewers with their dancing shoes was former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who competed for the Glitterball trophy in series 14 of Strictly. He was paired with Russian professional dancer Katya Jones and was a hit with viewers, who kept him in the contest until week 10.
His dance to hit song Gangnam Style was even nominated for the Must-See Moment Award at the BAFTA TV awards in 2017. Ed was also crowned the winner of BBC’s Celebrity Best Home Cook in 2021, and has landed himself an occasional hosting job on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
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