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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Dominique Hines

Boy George says I'm A Celebrity bosses 'plant questions' to 'manipulate' contestants

Boy George has said that I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! bosses "plant questions" to manipulate contestants.

The Culture Club singer who competed on last year's series made the claim in his newly-released autobiography, Karma.

The 62-year-old singer, who is reportedly the ITV shows highest paid celebrity to date after bagging an estimated £500,000 appearance fee, famously butted heads with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who he openly shared his disdain for. 

The star also claimed scenes mocking Hancock, who became one of the finalists, were cut from the show as producers wanted him to make it to the end of the series. "I thought ITV would have secretly loved a Matt win," he wrote in the chapter titled 'Jungle Is Massive'.

He also revealed that he was "upset" when asked by A Place In The Sun's Scarlette Douglas about his time in prison. 

Boy George has said ITV bosses wanted Matt hancock (pictured with him in the jungle) to go far in the show (ITV)

Addressing her probing into his past, he wrote in the book: "At the time it felt like she had been told to ask the question. She had no idea of the facts and it upset me. 

"ITV will insist that they do not instruct conversations but they plant questions in people's minds. 

"I was even asked to talk to Jill about being gay."

The Eighties icon was given the boot early on as the fourth campmate out of 11 to be voted out of the jungle, but he has insisted he is not bitter.  

The singer said he was glad to get booted out of camp early (ITV)

"Was I disappointed not to have got further? No. It was a blessed relief. I was paid well for my dues," he said. "I got paid well to do it and I can't pretend that wasn't another good reason. 

"With [Culture Club drummer] Jon Moss and his money-sucking lawsuit breathing down my neck I felt like it was a gig I couldn't turn down."

The show, which is a viewer favourite not only for its stomach-churning tasks but its seemingly unscripted chats between the well-known contestants, is set to return on Sunday, November 19.

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