Since he first stepped into the jungle, Matt Hancock has been raising eyebrows – both those of viewers, and his campmates.
Fellow I’m A Celeb contestant Boy George has made clear his disdain for the Tory MP – even at one point declaring he was considering leaving the show – whilst Chris Moyles has been quick to question why the former Health Secretary is currently in Australia with the critters, rather than back in Britain with his constituents.
The MP has already given ITV more than one money shot – opening up about his affair, falling in ‘love’, and asking for forgiveness. But whilst his outward charm and eagerness to succeed at any challenge thrown his way has some viewers ready to put the past behind them, for many, Covid memories are still far too raw for the MP to be frolicking about on our TV screens.
And the British public aren't ready for Matt's mistakes to be brushed under the carpet...
Taking to Twitter, one person shared, ‘Matt Hancock was the reason I had to identify my partner’s body alone, barely managed to pull a funeral together and even then I couldn’t have the support next to me whilst saying goodbye to the love of my life. Yet the man is [in] the jungle having a laugh about it all. Sound.’
Many were also quick to question his £400k pay packet he’s expected to pick up from the show – with one exclaiming his payment was ‘all while Nurses are turning to food banks to eat. Tory Britain, what a disgrace.’
One doctor took to social media to brand the choice ‘insensitive, disgusting & wrong.’
And one viewer even drew parallels between I’m A Celeb and Strictly – referencing Will Mellor’s dance dedicated to his dad and everyone who was unable to say goodbye to a loved one.
After having been voted to partake in every trial so far, viewers were quick to urge others not to make it ‘The Matt Hancock show’ – pleading with voters to nominate other campmates and give the former Health Secretary less screen time.
But whilst some shared that Matt’s personality was winning them over – with one viewer even questioning whether fellow campmates were bullying the MP – another wrote ‘If you’re thinking he’s a nice guy because he shed some crocodile tears, you’re being sucked in.’
One of those who wasn't afraid to open up was ex-campmate Olivia Attwood – who left viewers gutted after a media emergency meant her early departure from the show.
Appearing on This Morning to talk about her sudden exit, the Love Island star gave her two cents on Matt appearing in the jungle.
When asked how she would have reacted to him, she shared, ‘I think it’s a difficult one. When you’re in those environments you have to take things carefully, but I probably would’ve done it with humour and given him a bit of stick that he deserves.’
But she also added that not everything can be covered with a laugh, saying ‘A lot of what he did isn’t funny. Like if a loved one died while he was snogging his face off.’
For every person on social media sharing their support for Matt, there are hundreds sharing their stories of heartbreak and loss. And when it comes to the real lives of viewers across the world, many brand it still far too recent to have the politician on our screens – even when it involves him eating camel penis.
And for some fans of the hit TV show, their choice to feature him is the final straw – with one tweeting ‘Viewers in the UK should just switch off I’m A Celeb and refuse to participate in the rehabilitation of Matt Hancock. It’s very wrong.’