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Matt Hancock has already addressed his widely-publicised affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo just a day after entering the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle on Wednesday evening.
The ex-Health Secretary, 44, discussed ‘falling in love’ with the PR guru during a chat with campmate Babatúndé Aleshe – after the pair were caught in a steamy clinch in his office in a widely-shared CCTV image.
Despite opening up to the comedian, 34, during the chat, Babatunde appeared to only see the funny side as he ribbed the MP for ‘grabbing the booty’ in the now infamous headline-grabbing image.
Hancock’s affair was later found to have breached lockdown rules – set while the Health Sec was in charge of the country’s response to the Covid pandemic.
Hancock resigned his cabinet role following a furious backlash from the public. It also ended his 15-year marriage to wife Martha.
During a conversation with Babatúndé during Thursday’s episode of the show, the MP said he ‘messed up and fessed up’ as he discussed the ‘tough’ times he has faced since the reports came to light.
Speaking out: Matt Hancock has already addressed his widely-publicised affair with PR guru Gina Coladangelo just a day after entering the I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! jungle on Wednesday evening
Babatúndé, who following Matt’s arrival hinted he disapproved of his appearance on the show, asked how things had been for the MP, who told him it had been ‘really tough’.
Babatúndé said: ‘Because you messed up.’
Matt replied: ‘I messed up and I fessed up. I resigned and it’s no excuse but I fell in love, right? That also had a lot of other consequences obviously.’
Affair: The former Health Secretary, 44, opened up about ‘falling in love’ with Gina – who he is now in a relationship with – during a conversation with comedian Babatúndé Aleshe during Thursday’s episode of the show
Messed up and fessed up! Speaking on his resignation which came after their affair was exposed, Matt said he ‘messed up and fessed up’ as he discussed the ‘tough’ times he has faced since the reports came to ligh
Babatúndé said: ‘You didn’t just ‘fall in love’ you were grabbing booty bruv!’
Matt responded: ‘Oh give over.’
Babatúndé laughed: ‘Sorry.’
Matt said: ‘You are a comedian.’
Matt added: ‘That’s been hard, I obviously brought it on myself, so yeah… it’s been tough.’
Babatúndé asked: ‘Are you still with the lady?’
Matt replied: ‘With Gina? Yeah very much so, yeah, totally. That’ll be the best thing about being kicked out, seeing her on the bridge.’
Babatúndé said: ‘Look man, I don’t judge you bruv. I may take the p*ss out of you.’
Reaction: Viewers could hold back their laughter at the exchange and took to Twitter to voice their amusement
Matt laughed: ‘I don’t mind that.’
Viewers could hold back their laughter at the exchange and took to Twitter to voice their amusement.
One fan was in hysterics, writing: ‘Not Babatunde telling Matt Hancock he was grabbing bunda. this years I’m a celeb can’t be real’.
Another agreed, tweeting: ‘Never did I imagine I would here someone tell Matt Hancock that he was “grabbing that booty bruv”‘.
A third echoed: ‘MATT HANCOCK GRABBING BUNDA SOMEBODY GET BABATUNDE AN AWARD #ImACeleb’.
Hilarious: Viewers could hold back their laughter at the exchange and took to Twitter to voice their amusement
While a fourth said: ‘Babatunde telling Matt Hancock he was grabbing booty. nah this is the funniest crossover EVER #ImACeleb’.
And a fifth chimed in to add: ‘Babatunde saying the phrase “grabbing bootie” to Matt Hancock is not something I ever expected to hear and I don’t know how to feel about it! #ImACeleb’.
Matt resigned as Health Secretary after it was discovered he had breached Covid-19 social distancing rules with Gina and was replaced in the role by Sajid Javid.
He later latter admitted he had ‘blown up every part of my life’ after he was caught on CCTV cheating on his wife with married aide and millionaire lobbyist Gina against the door of his Whitehall office in June last year.
He lost his job when it emerged they were seeing each other despite her being his aide and them breaking social distancing rules that he had created.
Scandal: Matt Hancock has already addressed his widely-publicised affair with PR guru Gina Coladangelo just a day after entering the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle on Wednesday evening
It comes after Matt defended his decision to appear on the reality show, writing in The Sun that it’s his job as a politician ‘to go where the people are’ and that he wants to ‘engage with voters’.
He said: ‘While there will undoubtedly be those who think I shouldn’t go, I think it’s a great opportunity to talk directly to people who aren’t always interested in politics, even if they care very much about how our country’s run.
‘It’s our job as politicians to go to where the people are – not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster.
‘There are many ways to do the job of being an MP. Whether I’m in camp for one day or three weeks, there are very few places people will be able to see a politician as they really are.
‘So, the truth is, I haven’t lost my marbles or had one too many pina coladas. It’s something I’ve given a lot of thought to.
‘I was elected by the people, and it’s important to engage with voters, especially younger voters, no matter where they are, and show the human side of politicians.
‘I want to raise the profile of my dyslexia campaign to help every dyslexic child unleash their potential – even if it means taking an unusual route to get there… via the Australian jungle! I’m A Celebrity… is watched by millions of Brits up and down the country.
‘I want to use this incredible platform to raise awareness, so no child leaves primary school not knowing if they have dyslexia.’
It comes after friends of Matt’s estranged wife Martha revealed their shock at his decision to star on I’m A Celebrity – a move that got him kicked out of the parliamentary Tory party.
One friend of Martha’s was searing in their condemnation of the father of three today, branding him a ‘total halfwit who’s making some unwise career moves’.
Meanwhile, one former minister predicted Mr Hancock would be selected for a bushtucker trial ‘every day’. Referring to the notorious challenge for contestants to eat kangaroo testicles, the Tory told MailOnline: ‘I have sympathy for the poor kangaroo.’
The politician added: ‘Is Matt Hancock technically a celebrity? I think he’s probably in a slightly lower league than Mike Tindall. If he’s eliminated in the first round he’ll be appalled. He’s going to be the hate figure, every single day he will be doing a challenge.’
The news drew a rapid rebuke from Number 10, with Rishi Sunak’s spokesman saying the Prime Minister believes MPs should be ‘working hard for their constituents’ at a ‘challenging time for the country’. Mr Sunak is ‘unlikely’ to watch Mr Hancock in action, the spokesman added.
Chief Whip Simon Hart announced he had removed the whip from Mr Hancock – the same fate that befell fellow Tory MP Nadine Dorries when she went on the ITV show in 2012.
‘Following a conversation with Matt Hancock, I have considered the situation and believe this is a matter serious enough to warrant suspension of the whip with immediate effect,’ he said.
PR expert Mark Borkowski estimated Mr Hancock could have been paid a £350,000 appearance fee.
He told MailOnline: ‘They paid Noel Edmonds £500,000 and that was a top booking – either Hancock is desperate for the visibility or the money… if it’s the money I’d expect £350,000 – he should be very careful what he wishes for.’
Oh dear: Mr Hancock – pictured with Ms Coladangelo – will stay as MP for West Suffolk but serve as an independent. While he will be able to keep his party membership, he will not be able to stand for election as a Conservative candidate
Mr Hancock will stay as MP for West Suffolk but serve as an independent. While he will be able to keep his party membership, he will not be able to stand for election as a Conservative party candidate, vote in party contests or stand for committee chairman posts.
A source close to the MP said he would donate some of the appearance fee to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk, but would not say how much.
Today, a political ally said he had accepted he was unlikely to become a minister again and wanted to connect with ‘younger generations’.
‘Politicians like Matt must go to where the people are – particularly those who are politically disengaged,’ they said.
‘Matt’s of the view that we must embrace popular culture. 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.’
Mr Hancock first turned down the opportunity to appear on the show because of ‘instability’ the government was facing at the time, according to the source.
Hilarious: One friend of Mr Hancock’s estranged wife Martha (who he’s pictured with) was searing in their condemnation of the father of three today, branding him a ‘total halfwit who’s making some unwise career moves’
However, he now believes the administration is ‘stable’ and views his stint on the show as an ‘amazing opportunity’ to talk about issues he really cares about, they claimed.
‘When he was first approached to take part – while he was flattered and naturally curious – it didn’t take him too long to turn the opportunity down because of the instability Government was facing at the time,’ the ally said.
‘Now, though, the Government is stable. Rishi Sunak has made a great start and the whole of the Conservative Party is united behind him.
‘Rishi has a big majority, so he can get his agenda through Parliament. Matt’s talked to the whips, in the same way any MP would when going on a foreign visit, which happens all the time.
‘As I say, Matt doesn’t expect to serve in Government again, but he can support Rishi and the Government in different ways.
‘This is an amazing opportunity to engage with the public and talk about issues he really cares about – including his dyslexia campaign.’
The ally said producers of the show have agreed Mr Hancock can communicate with them if there is an urgent constituency matter. But former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe told Sky News it was wrong for a serving MP to be away ‘for weeks on end’ and asked what would happen ‘if there’s an emergency’.
Andy Drummond, deputy chairman of West Suffolk Conservative Association, said he was looking forward to seeing Mr Hancock ‘eating a kangaroo’s penis’ on the show – a reference to the notorious bushtucker trials in which contestants compete in a series of gruesome challenges to win stars. ‘Quote me, you can quote me on that,’ he added.
Who takes part in each trial goes down to a public poll, and today bookmaker Ladbrokes suggested voters’ desire for ‘payback’ had seen Mr Hancock become odds-on favourite to set a new record for the most bushtucker trials ever carried out by an I’m A Celeb contestant. It is unclear whether Mr Hancock has already arrived in Australia.
Today’s news drew mockery from political rivals, with SNP MP Pete Wishart tweeting: ‘It speaks volumes that @MattHancock would rather be stranded in a remote jungle eating kangaroo testicles than spend a moment longer on the Tory benches at Westminster, as @RishiSunak’s government lurches from one crisis to another.’
Shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne added: ‘To be fair to Matt Hancock, I’d sooner eat wallaby anus than be a Tory MP too.’
After playing a central role in coordinating the government’s response to Covid, Mr Hancock’s political career has flagged of late.
He was not awarded a post in Rishi Sunak’s new government, and the new Prime Minister appeared to snub his attempt to offer a handshake outside Tory HQ last week.
He had also reportedly been considering a run to be chairman of the Commons Treasury committee, but pulled out of the race on Monday.
Andrew Smith, a Conservative councillor on West Suffolk Council, said he could see why Mr Hancock might want to appear on I’m A Celeb ‘given what’s happened to him and his personal life and his career’.
‘I can see why he might want to do it, given what’s happened to him and his personal life and his career,’ said Mr Smith, who represents Bardwell ward.
He continued: ‘If I was him I wouldn’t have done it, to be perfectly truthful, but I’m not him.
‘It’s not a show I would watch or indeed I would personally do – I don’t like eating things that I don’t know where they’ve come from, if you get my drift.’
Fellow West Suffolk councillor Carol Bull said she hopes Mr Hancock had made the ‘right decision’.
‘He’s made the decision, presumably he’s thought about it carefully and hopefully it will be, for him, the right decision,’ said Ms Bull, who represents Barningham ward.
She continued: ‘At the end of the day, it depends how he does and how he’s perceived. There will be some who think it’s really good and others who don’t.’
But councillor Ian Houlder was less sympathetic, saying Mr Hancock ‘has no shame’. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he goes back on bended knee to whoever’s in charge of the Conservative Party after his book comes out or whatever in the winter,’ he said.
‘And say, ‘I’ve made a terrible mistake, terribly sorry, can you let me back in, we’re going to need every seat we can get, I’ll do my best,’ all that sort of thing. Because he’s thick-skinned, he’s got no shame at all.’
Mr Houlder, who represents Barrow ward, continued: ‘Everybody knows what he did during the Covid pandemic and he seems to want to rehabilitate himself all the time in the public eye. He’s got a skin as thick as a rhinoceros, quite frankly.’
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Sarah Olney said: ‘Yet again we see a Conservative MP taking voters for granted. At a time when MPs should be supporting their constituents with the cost-of-living crisis, Matt Hancock is choosing instead to go to the jungle to feed his own ego.
‘Matt Hancock should declare how much he is earning from appearing on the show and forego his MP’s salary for the duration. The taxpayer should not pay him while he refuses to do his job.’
Mr Hancock was criticised by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, with its spokesman Joe Ventre saying: ‘Matt Hancock’s plans to wriggle out of his responsibilities are shameful.
‘This grubby spectacle will leave a bad taste in the mouths of his constituents, who will have no one representing them for the fortnight he is off pursuing his TV career.
‘Hancock shouldn’t be entitled to a penny of taxpayers’ money in salary or expenses while he’s living it large in the jungle.’
An insider told The Sun: ‘Matt is a sensational signing for the show as producers love a star with a story to tell – and they always hope they’ll spill the beans round the campfire.
‘He’s the latest in a long line of figures from the political sphere, including MP Nadine Dorries, Stanley Johnson and MP Lembit Opik. There’s been a question mark over who the twelfth campmate would be, partly because negotiations over Matt going in were so top secret. It seems Matt was a last-minute signing.’
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