I'm a Celebrity: Seven questions Yorkshire Evening Post readers would ask Matt Hancock if they were in the jungle with him

Matt Hancock has almost been in the Australian jungle for a week now and he has already taken on five Bushtucker trials.

The politician was an unlikely contestant for the reality show and his presence on the show resulted in him being suspended from being a Conservative MP. So far, the former Health Secretary has been bitten by a scorpion, asked the public for forgiveness and become leader of the camp.

The Yorkshire Evening Post asked its readers what questions they would ask Matt Hancock if they had the chance.

Louise Godfrey said that she would ask him about his time off from Parliament.

She said: “I would ask him if he thinks it’s fair that he can take over four weeks extra time off to do this, from his highly paid job. When the rest of the working population get four or five weeks off over the whole year.”

Matt Hancock was suspended from his job as a Conservative MP due to his TV debut on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!. Simon Hart, Chief Whip for the Tory Party, said: “Following a conversation with Matt Hancock, I have considered the situation and believe this is a matter serious enough to warrant suspension of the whip with immediate effect.”

The suspension means that he will not be able to vote on any Parliament issues while he is away filming for the show.

John Holdsworth wants to know how much Matt Hancock is getting paid to be on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

It has been reported that Matt Hancock is being paid £400,000 to appear on the show. If correct, the huge sum would be one of the biggest ever given to a celebrity – only five others have topped the figure: Katie Price (£450,000), Boy George (£500,000), Harry Redknapp (£500,000), Caitlyn Jenner (£500,000) and Noel Edmonds (£600,000).

While Matt Hancock is on the TV show, he will still receive his regular salary for being MP of West Suffolk.

Wendy Bullock wants to ask where his money will be going after I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and if he will donate it to charity.

She said: “Can he give his money to a charity for those who lost loved ones?”

It has been reported that Matt Hancock will donate some of his £400,000 fee to charity but there has not been any mention of Covid-19 based causes. The MP will donate money to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk as well as the British Dyslexia Association. He has not specified exact figures for donation.

Aileen Larson would ask Matt Hancock why he has kept his role in government and if he intends to go back to being an MP after I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Matt Hanock plans to return to his role of MP when he leaves the jungle. Even though he was suspended from the Conservative Party, he is still an MP for West Suffolk. He is currently considered an independent MP as the Tory party have suspended him.

He has been MP for his constituency since 2010 and despite being absent for at least three weeks, he will keep the job. But the politician seems to be swerving away from the world of politics as he is releasing a book on December 6 titled ‘Pandemic Diaries’ and has recently appeared on an episode of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins?

Ethan Powell said that he would ask the former Health Secretary about his pandemic mistakes.

He said: “Why did you break the rules Matt? When you told us to follow them.”

Matt Hancock was Health Secretary during the Covid-19 pandemic and as part of his role he formed and announced lockdown guidance and rules. The MP came under fire when it was revealed that he himself had broken the very same guidance that he asked the British public to follow.

He was forced to resign back in June 2021 after footage of him kissing Gina Coladangelo went viral on social media. Since I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! began, he has told his fellow campmates this: “I messed up and I fessed up. I resigned and it’s no excuse but I fell in love, right? That also had a lot of other consequences obviously.”

Sue Davidson said that she would ask the MP about his constituents in West Suffolk.

There has been considerable backlash to the politician joining the reality TV show. Councillors in West Suffolk have publicly said that they wish for Matt to resign from his seat.

Council clerk Colin Poole released a statement: “By majority vote, members of the council have directed me to express their displeasure at your decision to absent yourself from your duty to your constituents to join the cast of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”

Matt Mis wants to know if Matt Hancock is still being paid to be an MP whilst he is on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Even though Matt Hancock was suspended for becoming a contestant on the programme, he will still receive his annual salary of £84,144. The reality TV show usually lasts around three weeks but the MP’s pay will not be docked for his time away from the role.