Mr Hancock will fly to the Australian jungle, reportedly as a latecomer to the TV show. Chief Whip Simon Hart MP said: “Following a conversation with Matt Hancock, I have reviewed the situation and believe this is a matter of sufficient seriousness to warrant a suspension of the whip with immediate effect.” Mr Hancock was health secretary during the COVID pandemic but resigned after breaking lockdown rules by holding an affair in his cabinet with aide Gina Coladangelo. The source said: “I’m A Celeb is the most watched show on TV. “Matt doesn’t expect to serve in government again, so it’s an incredible opportunity for him to engage with the 12 million Brits who tune in every night. “Matt said it to the whips in parliament and will use his time in the jungle to promote his dyslexia campaign. “Matt has a great team working with him in West Suffolk, but the producers have agreed that he can contact them if there is an urgent constituency case.” The source added: “There are many ways to do the job of an MP. “Whether it’s in camp for a day or three weeks, there are very few places where people will be able to see a politician as he really is. “Where better to show the human side of those making these decisions than with the most-watched program on television?” I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here starts on ITV on November 6. Members of Mr Hancock’s local Tory Party are less than happy with his decision to fly to Australia to appear on the show. Andy Drummond, vice-chairman of the West Suffolk Conservative Association, told PA news agency: “I can’t wait for him to eat a kangaroo’s penis. “Tell me. You can quote me [on] that.” SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “It speaks volumes that Matt Hancock would rather be holed up in a remote jungle eating kangaroo testicles than spend a little longer on the Tory benches at Westminster as Rishi Sunak’s government reeling from one crisis on the other”. Mr Hancock will not be the first politician to enter the jungle. Conservative MP Nadine Dorries took part in the twelfth season of I’m a Celebrity in 2012, coming in 11th place. Responding to the Hancock news he joked that at least he “doesn’t have to worry about George Osborne in No10 waiting to whip him when he comes back”.
