Advertisement

Matt Hancock making I'm A Celebrity final sparks anger and outrage

Matt Hancock is in the final of I'm A Celebrity. (Shutterstock/ITV)
Matt Hancock is in the final of I'm A Celebrity. (Shutterstock/ITV)

Matt Hancock making it into the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! final has prompted an outpouring of anger as people labelled him "a disgrace" and "a despicable human being".

The MP and disgraced former health secretary has been taking part in the ITV reality show in Australia for the past three weeks, enjoying cosy celebrity chats around the campfire, attempting to learn to dance and completing trials including eating a sheep's vagina while he should be serving his constituents in the UK.

Read more: All the winners of I'm A Celebrity so far

Despite outrage that he had been signed up for the TV show with a rumoured pay cheque of £400,000 after a catastrophic COVID care home policy that led to thousands of deaths, Hancock was announced to have made the final three contestants on Saturday night.

Jill Scott, Matt Hancock, Owen Warner and Mike Tindall took part in Celebrity Cyclone. (Shutterstock/ITV)
Jill Scott, Matt Hancock, Owen Warner and Mike Tindall took part in Celebrity Cyclone. (Shutterstock/ITV)

He will go up against Jill Scott and Owen Warner to win in tonight's episode, having knocked out Mike Tindall from the competition.

Broadcaster Danny Baker, who has spoken out many times about his frustration at ITV, tweeted: "Stopped watching #ImACeleb five episodes ago when it became clear Matt Hancock was being facilitated by a pro-Tory voting block. @ITV should really review what they have done here. The total trivialisation of a national tragedy. He is not "a character". He is a disgrace."

Read more: Who is the favourite to win I'm A Celebrity?

He added: "As far as @ITV are concerned a STAR emerged from our national Covid tragedy. Matt Hancock. Like the whole awful period was merely a heat in Britain's Got Talent. @ITV saw nothing wrong in erasing his overseeing deaths of thousands and just giggled him onto #ImACeleb. Shameful."

Matt Hancock laughs with campmate and fellow finalist Owen Warner. (Shutterstock/ITV)
Matt Hancock laughs with campmate and fellow finalist Owen Warner. (Shutterstock/ITV)

Broadcaster Matt Barbet wrote: "Who is voting for Matt Hancock in #ImACeleb? You remember living through the pandemic? A lot didn’t. He broke the Government’s own rules. He’s still meant to be serving his constituents. This makes a joke of people working on all sides to make this country a better place."

In Saturday's episode, Hancock was shown taking part in the Celebrity Cyclone challenge, where he was blasted by jets of water while wearing tiny bronze shorts and a superhero cape.

One viewer tweeted: "I've boycotted #ImACeleb but obviously know he is in the final. Have people forgotten about the affair where he broke his own rules, care home deaths and PPE contracts awarded to his local pub landlord? Don't let this slimey p**** win, he should be in jail not the jungle."

Another person shared a clip of a care home helpline manager calling in to James O'Brien's LBC show in tears as she explained how reports she had sent to Hancock advising against his care home policy had been ignored, and how out-of-work care staff felt seeing him on I'm A Celebrity.

Posting the clip on Twitter, one person wrote: "Be angry, be very angry. Matt Hancock is literally taking the p*** and raking it in on the backs of people's misery and pain. Despicable human being."

Another person share a photo of their late father and wrote: "My dad who was my absolute hero died & I didn’t see him, I didn’t hug my mom at my dads funeral @itv @imacelebrity @antanddec & anyone voting for that piece of s*** can f*** right off. #ImACelebrity #ImACeleb this is my dad."

Someone else tweeted: "Matt Hancock should never have been in the jungle. That you’re all out here defending him is bloody embarrassing. It really is. He should be working to serve the people in his community. Not eating kangaroo b*******. Disgraceful."

Another person commented: "just hope everyone voting matt is certain they want this man strutting home with £400k and the silly crown after his lovely holiday while our country is literally in shambles."

I'm A Celebrity's final airs tonight at 9pm on ITV.

Watch: Matt Hancock one step closer to being crowned King of the Jungle