Matt Hancock entered the I’m A Celebrity jungle with a mixture of shock, incredulity and uncontrollable laughter from his fellow campmates.
The former health secretary faced wide-spread criticism from the public and fellow politicians before entering the ITV reality show on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was among those to join the criticism of Hancock, who had the Conservative Party whip removed following the announcement that he would be participating.
Sunak said he was “very disappointed” in the MP’s decision.
Matt Hancock was seen laughing and joking during Wednesday night's episode
ITV / I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here
The West Suffolk MP defended the new Prime Minister, telling his campmates Mr Sunak is “great”, and admitted he understood why people might be “angry” at his decision to join the reality TV show.
Speaking on Daily Mail’s Jungle Confidential podcast, GB News presenter and Mail columnist Andrew Pierce claimed the MP told his fellow peers he “thinks he’ll be the most famous celebrity in Britain.”
On the podcast, he said: “I think Matt's made a spectacular misjudgement.
Matt Hancock entered the celebrity jungle on Wednesday
ITV / I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here
“He's told MPs when he got there, because he was allowed to keep his phone there for a couple of days - he's called some Tory MPs and said: ''I think when I emerge from this, I'm probably going to be the most famous celebrity in Britain''.”
His first appearance on the show drew in an average of 7.9 million viewers, up on last year’s equivalent episode by 2.1 million, according to overnight figures from ITV.
Shortly after arriving, he took part in the Beastly Burrows Bushtucker Trial challenge alongside fellow late entry Seann Walsh – before being selected again by the public to face a second.
The MP was voted to do a second Bushtucker Trial - Thursday’s Tentacles of Terror.
In a preview of the challenge, the 44-year-old hunts for stars to earn meals for the camp while avoiding the pincers of small crayfish.
'Naivety was oozing out of every pore, frankly I think he's an idiot.'
Edwina Currie berates Matt Hancock after his first appearance on I'm a Celebrity and say he 'hasn't a clue' how many people he has upset by going onto the show.
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Speaking to GB News, former MP and campmate Edwina Currie said Hancock was "an idiot."
Talking with Mark Longhurst, Ms Currie said: "He absolutely hasn't a clue.
"I almost felt sorry for him last night because naivety was oozing out of every pore.
"Frankly I think he's an idiot."
