Former ITV I'm a Celeb star names 'only' politician who should go on show

Gillian McKeith has expressed her disapproval of politicians taking part in reality TV shows, specifically I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! . She pointed out the contentious participation of Tory MP Matt Hancock, which sparked a heated debate among viewers and critics.

Despite her general objection to politicians entering the jungle, McKeith hinted at an intriguing exception – the prospect of seeing a face-off between current Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and ex-Tory leader Boris Johnson. Expanding on her thoughts, she said, "When it comes to politicians, we really ought to give them a pass from these kinds of shows."

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"They should not be in the jungle; it's simply not appropriate. However, if Starmer were to find himself on a waiting list for a future season, I could see some merit in that. And as for Boris Johnson, I believe he should perhaps follow in his father's footsteps when it comes to reality television."

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock received £320,000 for his stint on the ITV reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, reports the Express.

His decision to join the show resulted in his suspension from the Conservative Party and stepping down from his role as the MP for West Suffolk.

In response to his appearance on the show and the substantial fee he received, Mr. Hancock announced that he donated £10,000 to charity. This donation, along with the payment details, was made transparent in the register of MPs' financial interests, a document that outlines the financial dealings of Members of Parliament to ensure accountability and public awareness.

Additionally, the register highlighted that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was awarded a significantly higher sum of £510,000 as an advance for his upcoming memoir, indicating the lucrative opportunities available to high-profile political figures through media engagements and publishing deals. In a detailed account of his time spent in the iconic Downing Street, the memoir titled Unleashed had a modest reception, managing to sell only 42,528 copies in its opening week.

This figure fell significantly short of the expectations set by his publishers, HarperCollins, who likely anticipated a much larger debut given his prominence as a former prime minister. Despite this downturn, he narrowly managed to retain the number one ranking on the bestseller list, selling a mere 133 copies more than competitor Tim Spector's The Food for Life Cookbook.

In a light-hearted reflection on the family's experience with reality television, Stanley Johnson, the former prime minister's father, shared his impressions about his appearance on I'm A Celebrity in 2017.

Stanley disclosed to The Sun that neither he nor his son Boris Johnson had actually watched the show, quipping: "Don't tell me he's going to hear about it; it's very unlikely. Knowing Boris, he may never find out (he appeared on the show)."

It is also implausible that Starmer would join the jungle fray any time soon given his current occupation of running the country. Next week, the PM is set to kick off an intensive six-month examination of government expenditure, with ministers instructed to present a detailed case for funding in intense negotiations with the Treasury.

departments are being alerted by the UK prime minister of the need to vigorously contend for finances within the confined spending framework determined by Chancellor Rachel Reeves during October's Budget, in an extensive “zero-based” review. "It's going to be bruising but it has to be," a government source commented.