I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! bosses have defended their decision to sign disgraced politician Matt Hancock for the upcoming series.
ITV received backlash after it was confirmed that the former Health Secretary would be joining the hit reality show due to him being a serving Tory MP at the time of taking part.
Since the 44-year-old landed in Australia, he has been suspended from the Conservative party and people haven’t held back on how they feel about him heading into the jungle.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock set to become ITV I’m a Celeb ‘breakout star’ due to ‘rebel status’
Executive producer Olly Nash has spoken out about the politician joining the show, saying that he has the final say on whether he wants to take part.
Should Hancock do every bushtucker task? Have your say here
(Image: Tim Merry/Mirrorpix)
He said: “It’s always an individual’s choice to come into camp, isn’t it? And at any point, any celebrity can say I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
“Nobody has to do the show in the same way and nobody has to stay in camp and nobody has to do a trial. So it’s up to any celebrity to make that choice.”
Defending his decision to sign up for the show, the Tory MP explained that reality TV is a “powerful tool” that can be used to reach young people.
(Image: Getty Images)
He said: “Rather than looking down on reality TV, we should see it for what it is — a powerful tool to get our message heard by younger generations. In fact, I think it’s patronising to hear some say reality TV is beneath a politician.
“It’s as clear as day that politicians like me must go to where the people are — particularly those who are politically disengaged. We must wake up and embrace popular culture.”
(Image: S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Plenty of other MPs have been involved in I’m a Celeb, including former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale.
Reflecting on what it means to have a politician in the jungle, show boss Olly explained that they have always cast MPs on the show and it makes for a good dynamic because you never know what to expect.
He added: “It’s always good to get a good cast in an ensemble cast.
“That’s really the basis of putting everybody together. We cast everybody from all sorts of walks of life and always have done. We have had politicians going back for many, many years.
“You never know when they sort of get here what they’re going to do. And how it’s going to work out.”
MP Tim Loughton, a Tory colleague of Hancock, described him as an “absolute prat” and he has now faced opposition from critics to give up his £84,144 a year MP’s salary while he is in the jungle.
For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here .
READ MORE:
