Susanna Reid has slammed Matt Hancock for breaking the I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! rules before he’s even entered camp.
The former health minister has been allowed to keep his phone and laptop so he can work during ‘quarantine’.
Discussing Mr Hancock’s appearance on I’m A Celebrity – which kicked off last night - during a segment on Good Morning Britain, host Susanna said: “I think a lot of people last night were wondering, where’s Matt Hancock?”
Co-host Ed Balls replied: “I know he’s in quarantine, apparently on his phone," to which a shocked Susanna replied: “That’s not allowed!”
“I know, I think that’s going to do down quite badly in the camp,” Ed continued.
“Well the fact he’s in there has gone down quite badly with the Prime Minister,” Susanna added.
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Mr Hancock lost his Tory whip last week when it was revealed he was going on the ITV show.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he is ‘very disappointed’ with his decision, adding he won’t be watching the ITV show as he ‘genuinely won’t have time’.
The politician is set to be a late arrival in the jungle, but when he will enter camp is unclear.
He will join the likes of royal Mike Tindall, singer Boy George, radio’s Chris Moyles, Coronation Street ’s Sue Cleaver, ITV’s Charlene White, Love Island ’s Olivia Attwood and Hollyoaks star Owen Warner.
A Place In The Sun host Scarlette Douglas, rising comedian Babatunde Aleshe and Lioness Jill Scott complete the line-up.
It is rumoured Seann Walsh, known for his infamous kiss with Strictly’s Katya Jones, will also be a late addition to camp.
As the celebs gear up to go in the jungle they usually have their devices taken away as they are not permitted to contact the outside world until they leave, apart from in exceptional circumstances.
But Mr Hancock is said to have struck a deal with ITV bosses to allow him to keep his phone and laptop.
It is also claimed he has been allowed to speak to his personal advisor on Zoom calls.
A source told the Daily Mail : “Matt has been given a different arrangement during his isolation period to the other contestants. He has been allowed his phone and laptop so that he can carry on working and keep in touch with constituents.”
Explaining how this differed from how the rest of the celebrities had been treated, the source added: “The only option for the rest of the cast is to have one designated family member or friend from back home to receive updates on their welfare via a chaperone.
“Some feel he [Hancock] has been given preferential treatment ahead of his time on the show, especially when stars such as Charlene White have found the isolation process extremely difficult and emotionally draining.”
But a senior show source told the Mirror: "Matt does not have his personal phone at all and any laptop access is for constituency and monitored Zoom work purposes only whilst in isolation. Matt does not have general internet access."
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