Matt Hancock fails to impress I’m A Celeb campsite after first Bushtucker Trial
The former health secretary made his highly-anticipated entrance into the Australian jungle on Wednesday evening.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Matt Hancock has failed to impress his I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmates after a poor performance in his first Bushtucker Trial.
The former health secretary, 44, took part in the Beastly Burrows challenge with fellow late arrival, comedian Seann Walsh, after the pair entered the jungle during Wednesday evening’s episode of the ITV reality show.
Hancock and 36-year-old Walsh were given the impression that a number of their fellow contestants felt let down after they secured only six out of 11 stars available in the challenge.
As the pair arrived in the main camp, 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 added: “I don’t know what to say.”
Journalist Charlene White wasted no time quizzing the new arrivals on what they were bringing to the camp, asking Hancock: “Have you won us stars?”
To which the MP replied: “We got six stars.”
Cleaver, 59, then added: “How many stars were there to get?”
After Hancock confirmed there were 11 stars up for grabs in total, the Coronation Street actress appeared disappointed, saying: “Eleven… yeah…”
Comedian Babatunde Aleshe, who completed a solo task on the previous episode and gained all nine stars on offer to him, added: “I got a full house so… you guys got a lot to live up to.”
Later, speaking in the Bush Telegraph, Hancock said: “They weren’t desperately impressed with six stars were they?”
To which Walsh laughed, replying: “They were not!”
After Hancock’s surprise arrival, his campmates began to banter with the West Suffolk MP, who had the Conservative Party whip removed after announcing his plans to join the show, and questioned him over his political decisions.
Referencing Hancock’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…”
TV presenter and property expert Scarlette Douglas also appeared interested in Hancock, asking him: “Why did you decide to come in?”
He replied: “Why? Because, all politicians are known – and me in particular – for being in a very sort of strict way of being, which is just not actually how we are.”
Douglas, 35, then asked: “How would you say you were?”
“More human than that,” Hancock replied.
When Cleaver told Hancock he was “a brave man”, he said: “Well, we’ll see how it goes.”
Douglas added: “I’m looking forward to getting to know you outside of everything else. That’s going to be good. Just be your authentic self.”
In the Bush Telegraph she appeared open to getting to know the MP, saying: “To be fair, everyone’s human. We all have our own personalities outside what we are seen in the media.
“So listen, Matt Hancock has come on, he obviously has something to prove, so hey, everyone’s got their own reasons as to why they’re here.”
Elsewhere in Wednesday’s episode, Hancock and Walsh discovered they would be undercover moles in the main camp and were given a series of secret missions to undertake to earn the campmates their luxury items.
Called into Mole HQ – a separate secret camp where Hancock and Walsh started their jungle experience – the pair were told they must steal someone’s hat and gilet and bring them back to Mole HQ, call Moyles ‘Greg’ on three separate occasions, and convince the camp that one of them is a keen bird-watcher by re-creating the calls of fictional Australian birds.
After receiving their missions, Hancock and Walsh were told: “You should now head to main camp via the secret tunnel.
“Whenever you see one of the Tilley lamps flash in camp, this is your signal to return to Mole HQ.
“Good luck and remember what goes underground stays underground.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues on ITV.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.