Loose Women star Denise Welch has said she is ‘fuming’ over Matt Hancock ’s casting on the upcoming series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
The West Suffolk MP has defended his decision to appear on the ITV reality show in Australia, saying it is a ‘powerful tool’ to reach young people.
Yet Mr Hancock – who has arrived in Brisbane ahead of the show's launch on Sunday – has faced criticism over the decision and was yesterday suspended as a Conservative MP.
On Wednesday’s Loose Women, the ITV panel turned to the highly anticipated reality show as Denise ripped into the former Health Secretary’s decision to enter the jungle.
She said she is ‘disgusted’ at the news and has been unable to ‘find the humour’ in the announcement of his inclusion in the line-up.
She said: “As far as I'm concerned we are still suffering the repercussions of what happened over the last few years.
“I was very vocal about Covid restrictions – some being incredibly unnecessary and the impact they would have on people’s livelihoods and mental health.”
She continued: “Matt Hancock was at the forefront of those. We all know now that we weren’t allowed to see our granny or anybody who had a family member in hospital or a home during Covid.
“My dad subsequently died of pneumonia. I wasn’t allowed to see him at certain times. I live with the pain of that every day.
“We could say, I will do a test before I go and visit my dad who is lonely in his house – no.”
She added: “Whilst he was having an affair with some woman in the broom closet or wherever he was. While the government from day one of this were carrying on in Downing Street.”
Denise went on to insist Mr Hancock is ‘not a celebrity’, adding: “He’s going to go in there and pretend he’s Mr Nice Guy.
“I’ve never envied people going in the jungle – I love the show and I’m a huge viewer – but I’d go in there for nought for one hour.”
Loose Women host Jane Moore joked: “I don’t think you could cover all you’ve got to say in one hour,” and Denise replied: “Well I’d give it a damn good try.”
This comes after the independent MP’s colleague Isabel Oakeshott opened up about the behind the scenes decision-making process after Mr Hancock touched down in Brisbane ahead of the show launch this weekend.
She said the decision was ‘very last minute’ but noted she did discuss it with Mr Hancock before it was made known to the public yesterday.
She said: “He did ask me what I thought and whether I thought it was a good idea. Obviously I presented the pros and cons.
“Before I knew it, he had disappeared off to Australia. So I think this was a pretty last minute decision. Although, he has said publicly he’s twice turned it down before.”
