Matt Hancock's Suffolk constituents 'just want to be listened to', says Last Leg comedian Adam Hills

Comedian Adam Hills said Matt Hancock's constituents "just want to be listened to", after holding a fake surgery in his patch while the MP was in the I'm a Celebrity... jungle.

The Last Leg presenter set up a desk in Mildenhall in Suffolk at the weekend after discovering some some of his ancestors came from the town.

Describing Mr Hancock as "missing in action", he decided to go and listen to the MP's West Suffolk constituents in his absence.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday, Mr Hills said he was surprised by how seriously he had been taken.

"Everyone turned up with a genuine issue," he said. "I was really surprised. I thought people would just have some comedy issues - but people wanted better access to public transport, to dentists, to doctors."

Asked by GMB presenter Richard Madeley if people were reacting "more in sorrow than in anger", he responded: "Absolutely."

"People aren't angry, they just want their MP to turn up and listen to their concerns," he added.

"A whole bunch of people said it would just be nice to get a response - 'we've sent emails, we've sent letters'. But when that response is 'I'm sorry, I'm eating a kangaroo penis in the Australian jungle right now', that's kind of not what they are hoping for right now."

Constituents have previously told ITV News Anglia they thought his decision to jet off to the jungle while Parliament was sitting was "disgraceful".

The comedian said he had got the impression the relationship between an MP and their constituents was "like a marriage".

"You just want the other person to listen to you," he said.

Mr Hancock entered the I'm A Celebrity... jungle at the beginning of November.

While some have been critical of the decision to take time away from his constituency, the MP explained he hoped having millions watch him on television would help him more effectively raise awareness of the issues he cared about.

Writing in the Sun newspaper, he said: "As an MP, my first priority is to my constituents. I have agreed with the show’s producers that I can be reached at any point on any urgent constituency matters."While my excellent team in West Suffolk will continue to oversee matters relating to the constituency, like they already do when I’m in Westminster."As soon as my time in camp is up, I will return to Suffolk to hold a surgery where I will catch up with my constituents and discuss matters of concern."While some will say reality TV should be beneath a politician, I think we’ve got to go to where the people gather."

He promised to make a donation to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk and causes supporting dyslexia off the back of his TV appearance.

Mr Hancock was stripped of the Tory whip after agreeing to go on the show and was recently criticised by prime minister Rishi Sunak who said that MPs should put their constituents and country “at the forefront of what we do”.

Mr Hills hosts the Channel 4 comedy show The Last Leg, and footage from the constituency surgery is due to be aired on the next episode on Friday night.

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