Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver has questioned how genuine her fellow campmate Matt Hancock is being in the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle.
As the MP for West Suffolk was away from the camp completing a challenge with Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner during Saturday’s episode of the reality show, the topic turned to the contestants’ feelings towards him.
Previously during the series, the former health secretary admitted to his fellow campmates that he made a “mistake” and regrets the actions that led to his resignation as health secretary and that one of his motivations for coming on the show was to seek a “bit of forgiveness” from the public.
Speaking about her perception of the politician, Sue said: “In his world he’s intelligent but he’s not worldly wise in other ways. He doesn’t live in the same world.
“I mean, I’ve really tried to like open up, talk, be nice and everything. I always feel there’s something that’s not quite genuine.
“I find it really hard to get past that, that time when he did that whole thing and he said he was really emotional and he says ‘I’ve come in here to ask for forgiveness’, I actually thought he was being authentic and I gave him a hug.
“And then I want to be nice, I want to be friendly, I want to do all the right things but I just don’t believe I’m getting anything genuine.
“How we’ve managed to try and see him on a human level, and there’s still times when it hasn’t been easy, I think, because ultimately if you don’t agree with what he’s done, but we’ve all come through that and we are a team and he’s very much part of the team as well.”
Radio presenter Chris Moyles added: “I believe a lot of the politicians that you see on TV and radio are part of a big boys’ club, it’s career politics, they don’t give too shiny shites about making a difference in the people, it’s all to do with furthering their career in politics and what they can get out of it.
“And when I have that mindset, and then I meet someone like Matt Hancock, I’m like… my back goes up immediately.”
Comedian Seann Walsh disagreed with Lioness Jill Scott who said she felt the former MP might be “a bit oblivious”, adding: “That man, he doesn’t flinch at anything in here, whether it be a lizard jumping at his face, or someone saying something.
“I think all I choose to do is take people for who they are in here in the jungle and in here I think it’s best to just get through this as one big team.”
Hancock has faced criticism from opposition politicians and from within his own party for joining the show, with the Tory whip suspended.
On Tuesday, campaigners flew a banner over the I’m A Celebrity campsite, reading: “Covid bereaved say get out of here!”
A spokesperson for Hancock has previously said that the MP hopes to raise awareness about his dyslexia campaign while in the jungle.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues at 9pm on Sunday on ITV1 and ITV Hub.