Fans of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here have said they are considering not watching the upcoming series after Matt Hancock was revealed as an additional campmate. The former health secretary wasn't included in the initial line-up of 10 celebrities confirmed by ITV earlier this week.
However, viewers of the ITV reality show, which returns to screens this Sunday (November 6), are used to seeing a couple of surprise additions enter camp days after the first arrivals. And it has been confirmed that Matt, 44, will enter the jungle after he was spotted arriving in Australia on Tuesday evening (UK time).
He has also written a column in The Sun defending his decision to agree to take part in the popular programme, claiming he 'hasn't lost his marbles' and that by joining I’m A Celebrity he can "go to where the people are — not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster."
But some are threatening to boycott the show. @jacquimee said: "Don't think I'll be watching @imacelebrity @antanddec after all...Matt Hancock ffs." @westwell_nina wrote: "I will be boycotting #ImACelebrityGetMeOutOfHere I can not support a show that has @MattHancock trying to boost his self-esteem." @MathThyMod tweeted: "So can we all agree to boycott #ITV‘s #ImACeleb if @MattHancock is one of the contestants?" @sue_simmonds added: "I have just stopped being excited for @imacelebrity . I probably won’t watch now @MattHancock #ImACeleb."
Speaking out on the decision for Matt's appearance on the 2022 series, executive producer Olly Nash has told The Mirror: "It's always an individual's choice to come into camp, isn't it? And at any point, any celebrity can say I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. So that's the only thing really to add. I think.
"Nobody has to do the show in the same way and nobody has to stay in camp and nobody has to do a trial. So it's up to any celebrity to make that choice." Asked what it means to have a politician on I'm A Celebrity, show boss Olly added: "It's always good to get a good cast in an ensemble cast.
"That's really the basis of putting everybody together. We cast everybody from all sorts of walks of life and always have done. We have had politicians going back for many, many years. You never know when they sort of get here what they're going to do. And how it's going to work out."
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