Ed Balls has slammed claims that former Health Secretary Matt Hancock could earn up to £2 million after appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
The Chester-born MP left the nation stunned when it emerged he'd abandoned his constituents and headed to Australia to participate in the ITV show.
Hancock, 44, during his time in the jungle, said he'd decided to go onto the show with the hopes of the British public offering him forgiveness after he breached his own lockdown guidance.
Since the backbencher was voted out in third place, with former England Lioness ace Jill Scott taking the crown, it has been speculated that he may earn up to £2 million.
Former MP turned broadcaster Ed Balls hit out at this claim during Monday morning's instalment of Good Morning Britain.
Speaking on the show, Ed read the morning headlines while saying: "His partner and top publicist have apparently been mapping out his future, which could earn him £2 million next year."
"In his dreams," he fumed, before former government special advisor Anita Boateng added: "It was definitely a huge risk for him to come into the jungle, of course, it was, Ed, you'll know this, most politicians are nice people who are just trying to do their best.
"There's a lot of cynicism about MPs and about what they are in politics for and their intentions and I think he's shown the nation, that he's kind of as you see him, a nice guy who tried his best and he must be feeling pretty vindicated that he came third.
"Politics is hard, a lot of people do stand down in every election, it's been a tumultuous few years."
"It's not a good look for Rishi Sunak and then to suddenly have lots of colleagues," commented Ed Balls.
Meanwhile, The Mirror's Kevin Maguire fumed: "I still think he's a prat, I still think most people resent the fact he moonlighted, dumped his constituents and left Parliament.
"I hope he's going to give enough money to charity to somehow make that up."
He continued: "He's heading out of politics, he's decided he's going on a different career, he thinks he can get into a B-list showbiz personality place."
Kevin later claimed that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's authority had been "challenged" by Hancock's appearance as he "didn't get permission" to enter the show and was later removed from the whip.
He later suggested that Hancock is "laughing" at the bereaved families who lost loved ones throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
After leaving the jungle and heading back to the hotel where the celebrities are staying, Hancock appeared to lap up his newfound celeb status as he posed for selfies.
Speaking about his time on the show, he told hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly: "I wanted to show what I was like as a person. Lots of people come to me with preconceived ideas, for obvious reasons.
"And I just wanted to be myself. But I also actually strongly believe that for politicians as a whole, we don't come across as human enough. And this is probably the most extreme way of just showing who you are, I am someone who throws himself into things.
"And we managed to talk about some important things here."
