I’m a Celeb is finally over – and we can all get on with our lives. Can’t we?

There’s a breather before ITV’s ‘Winter Love Island’ starts early next year, writes Charlotte Cripps

Matt Hancock finished third on the reality show (PA)

I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! is over – we can get on with our lives. No longer do we have to dread the dystopian horror show of the former health secretary Matt Hancock being crowned king of the jungle – he came third. Or watch him crawl through a tunnel full of rats in the bushtucker trials or try to sing an Ed Sheeran song.

It might seem like he got his comeuppance for his failings during the Covid pandemic – he told other contestants that he was looking for “a bit of forgiveness” – but let’s not forget he was reportedly paid a £400,000 fee to appear on the show.

In the final he also won 22 per cent of the public vote – he was predicted to be the first voted off the show, so he has clearly defied the odds. The PR stunt might have worked.

For the culture desk, it’s been weeks of live blogging nightly – including the final – and profiles of the contestants, news stories, and comment pieces.

There’s now a void – but it couldn’t be more welcome. Now we can start to get on with our lives again – those Christmas drinks and more meaningful TV.

That’s until... wait for it... ITV’s Winter Love Island early next year. It’s returning after three years. The merry-go-round of coverage starts in full force. All that we know so far is that it’s set in an eco-villa in South Africa. It will be intense. Lots of swimwear and biceps. But first, let’s take a sigh of relief – no more Hancock on our TV screens.

Yours,

Charlotte Cripps

Culture writer