Boris Johnson ‘held talks to appear on I’m a Celebrity’ after Matt Hancock’s trip to the jungle

Former prime minister reportedly pushed for deal that would dwarf £320,000 paid to last year’s third-placed contestant Mr Hancock

Boris Johnson held talks with ITV bosses about appearing on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, according to reports.

The former prime minister would follow his ousted Covid-era health secretary Matt Hancock in braving a stint in the jungle.

And he pushed for a deal that would dwarf the £320,000 paid to last year’s third-placed contestant Mr Hancock, it is claimed.

But Mr Johnson is expected to turn down an invitation Down Under in order to continue taking in huge amounts in speaking fees, the Mirror reports.

In the year after Mr Johnson was forced out of No10, he was paid almost £5m on top of his £84,000 salary as a backbench MP.

Now he has vacated his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, he has time for more speaking gigs and to work on his forthcoming memoir. He is believed to be raking in £21,000 an hour in work on the speaking circuit and other lucrative gigs outside politics.

But a source told the Mirror: “He’s not looking likely. The truth is he doesn’t need the cash as much as he did before, thanks to his income from speeches and, of course, he still thinks he’s going to stage some sort of political comeback at some stage.”

Matt Hancock appeared on I’m a Celebrity (ITV)

Mr Johnson would also follow his father Stanley, who appeared on the ITV hit in 2017 alongside Georgia Toffolo and Jennie McAlpine.

It is believed ITV approached Mr Johnson’s team several weeks ago to gauge his interest in an I’m a Celebrity appearance, but the former PM declined.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson told the newspaper: "Boris is not doing this programme and is not in talks to do so."

Mr Hancock, 44, was criticised for his stint in the Australian jungle prompted criticism by PM Rishi Sunak and MPs across the political spectrum.

He ended up coming third during the series finale on Sunday (27 November) behind the winner, former England footballer Jill Scott, and Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner as runner-up.

Hancock claiming 21.7 per cent of the initial public vote and, during the post-series Coming Out Show on Thursday (1 December), said that ultimately “millions of people” voted for him.