Matt Hancock’s career and controversies: From affair with Gina Coladangelo to ‘I’m a celebrity’.

I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 2022 has cast the show’s most controversial contestant yet: Matt Hancock.

The politician is taking part in this year’s edition of the long-running ITV reality series after he was reportedly offered £400,000.

It’s a far cry from his first TV appearance. The Conservative MP has been on TV many times in recent years – but usually for Covid briefings. As a former health minister, he was one of the faces all over the newspapers during the pandemic.

He has been criticized for elements of the government’s response to Covid and found himself publicly in disgrace in June 2021 after admitting to breaking his own social distancing rules when his affair with aide Gina Coladangelo was exposed.

Hancock was appointed Tory MP for West Suffolk in 2010 and Health Secretary in 2018 as part of Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle. After May’s resignation, he announced his plans to run for party leadership, but soon withdrew from the race and vowed his allegiance to Boris Johnson.

After his affair with Coladangelo was exposed, he separated from his 15-year-old wife, an osteopath named Martha Hoyer Millar, with whom he has three children.

Hancock is said to have been asked to do so i am a celebrity throughout the year but declined until Rishi Sunak was appointed prime minister after Liz Truss’ resignation.

However, Sunak was quick to condemn Hancock’s decision with a spokesman stating: “The Prime Minister believes MPs should work hard for their constituents in the House of Representatives or in their constituencies at a challenging time for the country. The public, when electing their MPs, expects them to work hard for their constituency.”

Hancock was quickly suspended as an MP by his party after it was announced he would be joining the cast of I’m a Celeb.

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Since Hancock arrived on the show, the public has voted for him to perform many gruesome trials — from eating animal genitals to being locked in a coffin containing 30 snakes. His participation in the program has resulted in more than 1,000 Ofcom complaints.

Notable moments from his time on the show so far include telling his housemates he was “seeking forgiveness” and sharing his thoughts on former Prime Minister Truss.

i am a celebrity is broadcast every night from 9pm on ITV.