Matt Hancock sets up media company after reality TV star pivot

Matt Hancock looks set to continue his move into TV stardom when he steps down as an MP, as he has set up his own TV company.

The disgraced former health secretary, 44, set up a company called Greenhazel in January which lists its primary activities as television programming and broadcasting activities, according to the Sunday People.

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Hancock is currently sitting as an independent MP after being suspended from the Conservative Party over his appearance on ITV1's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in November while he was a serving MP, and has confirmed he plans to stand down at the next election.

Greenhazel was registered with Companies House from an address in Newmarket, Suffolk and lists Hancock as the sole director.

In his controversial appearance on I'm A Celebrity, Hancock addressed his affair with aide Gina Coladengelo during the Covid pandemic which lead to him being forced to quit as health secretary after breaking his own social distancing rules with her.

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Hancock was criticised by Westminster colleagues, show viewers and constituents over his decision to appear on the Australian jungle reality show, which included trials where he was covered in fish guts and ate a sheep's vagina.

Before entering the show, he claimed he was doing it to raise awareness about dyslexia, although when he got into camp Hancock told the other celebrities he was looking for forgiveness over his pandemic actions.

The MP was paid £320,000 for his I'm A Celebrity appearance, of which just £10,000 was donated to charity - and a passing reference to his dyslexia was shown in the programme's edit.

It will not be his only reality TV appearance, as Hancock had pre-recorded a series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins for Channel 4 before going into the jungle, which is due to air later this year.

Hancock was paid £45,000 for taking part as a recruit in Celebrity SAS where he will attempt to pass the tough special forces selection process, and reportedly ended up with trench foot from the gruelling trials.

Earlier this year, he and Coladangelo were spotted in the audience of ITV1's Dancing On Ice.

Labour MP Richard Burgon, who is campaigning for a bill to stop MPs taking second jobs, told the Sunday People he was appalled by the news of Hancock's TV company.

He said: "Matt Hancock is another example of an MP chasing corporate cash when he should be serving his constituents.

"This is exactly the kind of thing that helps to breed cynicism in our politics, it shortchanges the public and it damages democracy.

"The decision to go into the jungle was disgraceful, and this is more of the same. MPs should not be chasing celebrity money."