Ant and Dec think the rumble in the jungle over Matt Hancock will get more "spiky" - and they've admitted they understand why some viewers are angry he is on the show.
Disgraced Tory MP Hancock entered the ITV show on Wednesday night and viewers reactions were mixed from happiness that he was being made to do trials, to anger he was picking up a huge fee and appearing on the show when he should be in his constituency.
Reflecting on all the emotions, Dec said: "Gosh what a show. We were following along with a lot of tweets on the I'm A Celebrity hashtag on Twitter tonight.
"It was a big old mixed reaction from everybody which is understandable."
Ant, 46, added: "It is absolutely, really understandable. Especially just you know, an active member of parliament, leaving his job, his day job, and going in here. It is still surreal.
"None of the other contestants realised Matt was going in because they were all in isolation. So as you can see by their reactions. There was shock, surprise and a bit of anger."
In camp, if anything the initial reaction to Hancock was worse than back home in the UK. Boy George came close to quitting as his mum almost died during the pandemic and others including Sue Cleaver were very unhappy the former health secretary was there. It could get worse as tensions mount.
Dec said: "It's interesting to see because they're all being very nice and polite so far. But I think once the novelty has worn off a little bit, you know, I think possibly there could be a little bit of spikiness."
And Ant added: "And there were tears from George. You saw tears running down his face when he's talking about his mum. So yeah it's a very very controversial, emotional subject.
"I mean he was at the helm for the worst crisis the world has faced for many a year. So people are gonna have feelings."
The pair were speaking on instagram shortly after Wednesday night's show as they prepared to go down for Hancock's second bush tucker trial, which surely won't be his last.
Referring to him getting picked, Dec dubbed it "the least surprising outcome we've ever had" and the pair then couldn't resist a little joke at the expense of the current Conservative government.
They confirmed there would be no more late entries and then Dec added tongue in cheek: "Is there anyone else going in Ant? Is what's his chops going in? Old Gavin Williamson, he resigned from the Government yesterday. What about Liz Truss, is she coming?
Ant said: "Yeah go on then, she's not doing anything. What about Boris Johnson?
Dec replied: "No, I draw the line at that."
In April Hancock apologised after the High Court ruled government policies on discharging patients from hospital into care homes at the onset of the pandemic were "unlawful".
And in June 2021 he was forced to resign after CCTV footage surfaced of him embracing his aide Gina Coladangelo at a time when this would breach his own rules on physical contact. It also ended his 15 year marriage although he remains in a relationship with Gina.
His decision to sign up for I'm A Celebrity led to him being suspended from the Conservative party.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "disappointed" in Hancock and would not be watching.
Another Tory MP Tim Loughton described Mr Hancock as an “absolute prat” and campaigners for families bereaved in the Covid-19 pandemic accused him of trying to “cash in on his terrible legacy”.
