Plenty is being discussed about Matt Hancock’s upcoming arrival on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2022, from his apparent huge paycheck to the MP possibly being ruled out of Bushtucker Trials.
However, one of the most bizarre claims is that he may want to swap his career in politics for showbiz, with it being alleged that he could be after a job on This Morning to follow in the footsteps of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
On Thursday’s edition of the show, the duo welcomed former Home Secretary Alan Johson onto the programme, where he shared his views on Mr Hancock joining the reality TV series.
Admitting that he believes signing up was a ‘huge misjudgement’ for the former Health Secretary, he then explained that Mr Hancock believes he has a ‘magnetic personality’ that could translate on TV.
‘Do you think he’ll do well when he’s in there?’ Phillip asked, to which Mr Johnson replied: ‘No I don’t, but I think he thinks he’ll do well.
‘I think Matt somehow thinks he’s got a magnetic personality that’ll come over the… a bit like you two, he’ll be a big television star. He might be after your job Phillip.’
‘Do you reckon?’ Phillip asked incredulously, while Holly looked befuddled by the suggestion.
‘Yep!’ Mr Johnson replied, while Holly speculated: ‘Well you know, who knows?’
Phillip then compared what it’s like filming This Morning to one of Mr Hancock’s past controversies, referring to the MP’s affair being caught on CCTV when he remarked: ‘The cameras that I’m in front of are quite upfront. He’s quite used to hidden cameras.’
‘He’s used to hidden cameras, yeah,’ Mr Johnson replied, chuckling. ‘You’d think he’d have enough of them.’
Mr Johnson, who served as Home Secretary from 2009 to 2010, added that in the past when politicians have taken part in reality shows, it’s been after they stepped away from their careers in politics.
Pointing out that Ed Balls had left Parliament when he went on Strictly, and also mentioning Ann Widdecombe’s time on the dancing competition, he stated: ‘No one who was an ex-minister and someone young enough to have ambitions to be a minister again would I think be sensible in taking part in a programme like that.’
Nonetheless, Penny Mordaunt was still a Member of Parliament when she competed on Splash in 2014.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
You can read this post on My Celebrity Life.