‘Quite a lot of people’ may vote for Hancock, says Northern Ireland Secretary

Matt Hancock, the MP for West Suffolk, has entered the I’m A Celebrity jungle, drawing mixed reactions from his fellow contestants.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has suggested ‘quite a lot of people’ in the House of Commons and House of Lords have downloaded ‘a certain app’ so they can vote for Matt Hancock to do trials on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (Matt Dunham/PA) (PA Archive)

The Northern Ireland Secretary has suggested “quite a lot of people” in the House of Commons and House of Lords have downloaded “a certain app” so they can vote for Matt Hancock to do trials on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

The 44-year-old former health secretary joined the cast of the ITV reality show on Wednesday, after facing much criticism over his decision from the public and fellow politicians, with his jungle arrival met with a mixture of shock, incredulity and uncontrollable laughter from his campmates.

Shortly after arriving, he took part in the Beastly Burrows Bushtucker Trial challenge alongside fellow late entry Seann Walsh – and was later selected again by the public to face a second trial, the Tentacles of Terror, to be seen during Thursday night’s episode.

Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News, Chris Heaton-Harris said: “He should be here with us voting and debating in Parliament.”

He added: “So, I know the format of the show. I do believe there’s quite a lot of people in a building not too far away from here, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, who’ve downloaded a certain app so they can vote. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.

“I read this morning what he said about how he wants to prove that all MPs are human, and that’s actually, you know, that is true. All MPs are human, but I think we do that every day in our constituencies and what we do in Parliament.”

Comedian Walsh, who made headlines in 2018 when he was pictured kissing his married Strictly Come Dancing partner Katya Jones, doubled over in fits of laughter after meeting Hancock in the jungle, later exclaiming to the Bush Telegraph “Matt Hancock!” and laughing even more.

Hancock caused a further stir as he entered the main camp, with many of the show’s famous faces shocked to see the West Suffolk MP, who had the Conservative Party whip removed after announcing his plans to join the show.

Following the arrivals of Hancock and Walsh, radio DJ Chris Moyles paid a visit to the Bush Telegraph and said: “Oh my god, two new people have arrived.

“One of them is Seann Walsh and the other one – I’ve got to go back and double check.”

Also speaking in the Bush Telegraph, soap star Sue Cleaver said: “I don’t know what to say.”

Later, in a one-on-one exchange with Hancock, Loose Women star Charlene White asked him: “Why are you here?”

“Because, honest truth, there are so few ways in which politicians can show that we are human beings,” Hancock replied, to which White flashed a disbelieving look.

Earlier, referring to the politician’s role in televised press conferences during the coronavirus pandemic, Moyles, 48, asked: “You’ve got to get it out of the way for me… Please just say ‘Next slide please’, and I’m really happy.”

After Hancock willingly said: “Next slide please”, Culture Club frontman Boy George told him: “You’re really going to get it. You’re really going to get it. Not from me, I mean, just from…”

Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly also took Hancock’s arrival as an opportunity to poke fun at UK politics and jokingly addressed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“I’m not sure how Matt is going to cope in camp though,” Ant said.

“You know, surrounded by people who don’t know what they’re doing, making it up as they go along and just trying to get by day to day.”

Hancock and Walsh left campmates somewhat disappointed after winning only six out of 11 stars in the Beastly Burrows challenge.

At the end of Wednesday’s episode, Ant and Dec revealed that Hancock would also face a second Bushtucker Trial, with the MP replying: “Do you know what, I just knew it was going to be me and I still felt nervous.”

Politics-watchers joined regular viewers to watch Hancock’s arrival on Wednesday, while some political opponents hit out at the MP once again for his decision to enter the jungle.

The Liberal Democrats’ Twitter account said: “Never mind #ImACeleb and trying to win meals for a jungle camp, Matt Hancock should be in the UK, in his office, and delivering for constituents wondering where their next meal will come from.

“You’re not a celebrity. You’re an MP with a job to do.”

– I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues at 9pm on Thursday on ITV