Matt Hancock’s fortunes appear to be turning on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! after being made camp leader and being spared from undergoing the next Bushtucker trial.
The former health secretary, 44, cheered and laughed after it was revealed he had been spared from Tuesday’s challenge, after being voted for by the public six consecutive times.
During Monday night’s episode of the ITV reality show, it was revealed that Chris Moyles, Boy George and Babatunde Aleshe will all undertake Tuesday’s trial – named Angel of Agony.
The news, delivered by hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, was greeted with shock in camp, with Loose Women star Charlene White declaring “plot twist!”.
Earlier in the episode, viewers saw Hancock take part in the Deserted Down Under challenge, which involved the MP for West Suffolk lying on his back in an underground pit as he attempted to unlock the valuable stars that were inside “hell holes” on either side of him.
Ahead of the challenge he told hosts McPartlin and Donnelly that he could “sense” that his campmates wanted to take on trials themselves.
Asked by McPartlin why the public had kept voting for him, he replied: “I don’t know”.
“It’s become part of my morning routine. You get up, you brush your teeth, have a shave, do a trial, go back for lunch.”
Asked if other campmates had told him they wanted to participate in the challenges too he added: “Nobody has said that but you can sense it.”
Speaking after completing the challenge, which saw him secure seven out of 11 available stars while faced with spiders and cockroaches, as well as his biggest fear, snakes, Hancock revealed what he used to get himself through the challenge, saying: “It was definitely the calmest I’ve been in a trial.
“I thought of my children, I thought of Gina, I thought of everybody I loved. I just tried to be calm.”
Hancock was referring to his former political aide Gina Coladangelo, with whom he broke social distancing restrictions last year, ultimately leading to his resignation from his role as health secretary.
Leaked CCTV pictures published in The Sun in June 2021 showed Hancock kissing Ms Coladangelo, 45, in his departmental office while he was married to Martha Millar, with whom he has three children.
Hancock was also named camp leader on Sunday following a head-to-head with former England rugby star Mike Tindall for control of the campsite.
He appointed White as his deputy, despite them previously clashing over his breaking of Covid-19 guidance during the pandemic, and his new post prompted a muted reaction from his co-stars.
Elsewhere in Monday’s episode, Tindall amused his campmates with a story about a humorous interaction with his mother-in-law, the Princess Royal.
Speaking to fellow contestant Seann Walsh, the 44-year-old, whose wife is Zara Tindall, said he had once ripped his trousers while performing a “slut drop” dance move in front of Anne.
Comedians Walsh and Aleshe laughed at Tindall’s revelation and applauded him for the hilarious story.
To finish, Tindall said: “As I’ve turned round, she’s gone, ‘I’d rather not’. I’ve gone, ‘I’m going’ and walked off.”
Walsh in the Bush Telegraph continued: “What a legend. Absolute legend. I would love to go to a party with Mike.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues on ITV.
