The amount of money Matt Hancock is receiving for signing up to this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has been revealed - and it is one of the biggest ever. The former Health Secretary is reportedly set to rake in around a whopping £400,000 to take part in the popular ITV reality TV show.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: "Matt’s pay deal with I’m A Celebrity is around £400,000 which is one of the largest ever show fees to have been paid out. ITV were keen for viewers to think the deal was worth around £150,000 but in reality it’s over double that. They asked him to be on the show three times in a matter of weeks and the money definitely helped seal the deal.”
A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: “Matt will be making a donation to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk and causes supporting dyslexia off the back of his appearance. He will also declare the amount he receives from the show to Parliament to ensure complete transparency, as normal.”
READ MORE: Matt Hancock splashed hundreds of taxpayer's cash buying equipment to film himself
After news of Mr Hancock's upcoming stint on I'm A Celeb emerged, he was swiftly suspended from the Tory whip with immediate effect. Commenting on the revelation, Andy Drummond, who is chairman of Newmarket Conservatives and deputy chairman (political) of West Suffolk Conservative Association, said: “I’m looking forward to him eating a kangaroo’s penis. "Quote me. You can quote me that.”
When pressed on whether Mr Hancock should stand down as an MP on LBC Radio, Cabinet minister Mark Harper said: "What he chooses to do in the future is a matter for him. I think we can draw conclusions from the fact that the whip has been taken away that perhaps Mr Hancock hasn't made the right judgment in this case."
There has been widespread backlash from the public over Mr Hancock's decision to replace his time in parliament for several weeks in Oz. Particularly among those who sadly loss a loved-one during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 44-year-old MP is said to be entering the jungle along side comedian Seann Walsh as latecomers. The 10 other celebs will be heading to their jungle camp on Sunday (Nov 6) when the 2022 series begins.
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