Matt Hancock tells I’m A Celeb campmates Liz Truss’s ‘political career is over’

Matt Hancock has declared Liz Truss’s political career “over” and reflected on the reason for Boris Johnson’s departure.

The former health secretary, 44, shared his take on UK politics with his campmates on ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

During a discussion among the celebrity contestants about missing the news back in the UK, presenter and property expert Scarlette Douglas said: “I wonder if Rishi’s still in power.”

To which Hancock replied: “Yeah, he will be.”

As the talk turned to UK politics, soap star Sue Cleaver asked Hancock about his opinion on the short-lived premiership of former prime minister Liz Truss, saying: “What do you think went wrong, Matt?”

“In a way, they were unlucky, in that globally interest rates all went up, just at the time that they were also… bringing in a financial statement where you say, ‘we’re going to do all these expensive things and we’re not going to say how we’re going to pay for them’,” said Hancock.

Cleaver, 59, queried: “Where does that leave her now?”

Hancock responded: “Her political career is over. No ambiguity at all.”

Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, Hancock added: “There I was sat in the comfy red chair and I felt like I was on Mastermind being asked all these questions.”

Journalist and broadcaster Charlene White also joined in on quizzing Hancock, asking the MP for West Suffolk: “Why do you think Tory Party members went for the less experienced…”

Hancock said: “I think that’s all about how Boris got kicked out. It was all about people seeing Rishi as wielding the knife against Boris.”

White, 42, continued: “So they decided to, one could argue, punish the entire country, by putting someone in place who was less experienced?”

Hancock then replied: “That implies a malign motive, which isn’t fair. But they definitely put the disloyalty to Boris as a negative, as a bigger factor than...”

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Comedian Seann Walsh, who was also a late arrival to the jungle along with Hancock, then asked: “Were you a Boris die-hard?”

Hancock responded: “Look, I was very supportive of him, but it was time. When it was time to go, it was time to go.”

Referring to former PM Mr Johnson returning to the UK from a holiday shortly after Ms Truss’s resignation, White asked: “When he flew back from his holiday in the Caribbean, what was your first thought?”

To which Hancock revealed: “I texted him and I said, ‘You know I think you’re wonderful but it’s not your time. The best thing for the country is that you should back Rishi and that we should get him in post as soon as possible’.”

Hancock's appearance on the show has been controversial. Critics have highlighted that he came under fire for his handling of the virus outbreak, then resigned after leaked CCTV footage revealed him breaching Covid restrictions during an extra-marital tryst.

Before Tuesday's episode aired, a sign pouring scorn on Hancock's reality TV appearance was flown over the jungle where Hancock and his cast-mates are staying.

Rishi Sunak also criticised his colleagues decision to star in I'm A Celeb. The PM warned that politicians have to earn people’s respect, and should do that by putting their constituents and country “at the forefront of what we do”.

Elsewhere in Tuesday evening’s I'm A Celeb episode, Boy George was seen chanting during the latest Bushtucker trial, which he had to complete alongside Babatunde Aleshe and Chris Moyles in order to earn meals for camp.

The public voted on Monday for the trio to take part in Angel Of Agony, sparing Hancock who had completed six consecutive trials since joining the reality show.

During the trial, the Culture Club star, 61, began chanting while navigating a box full of critters to find a star before handing it to comedian Aleshe, 36, who then apologised profusely for dropping it.

Boy George continued to use his loud chanting to help him through the rest of the challenge as he attempted to unravel two further stars in a chamber full of snakes.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues on ITV.