With the next series of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! on the horizon - ITV bosses have apparently ditched their plans to cast a politician.
The show will come very close to the General Election later this year and due to TV rules it would make it near impossible for a politician to appear at that time. I’m A Celebrity has previously cast two politicians and had been hit with big backlash by the public, despite them both finishing in third place.
Matt Hancock entered the jungle in 2022 which got mixed reactions from other contestants including Boy George. Former UKIP politician Nigel Farage entered the jungle the following year and lost out to Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson.
The last two series have featured politicians which have had big reactions from the public. However as I’m a Celeb usually airs in November, it will be around the time of the General Election and due to Ofcom rules, TV and radio stations are meant to remain politically impartial at that time.
A source told The Sun: “It was already highly doubtful that another political type would be cast for I’m A Celeb after the backlash last time, particularly to Farage but also the kickback to Hancock. Any Westminster-type will find it impossible not to stray into politics under questioning from fellow campmates and it would be nigh-on impossible to stay neutral on air.”
OK! have approached ITV for comment.
Cristina Nicolotti Squires of the watchdog said: “If broadcasters want to take the risk of having a high-profile politician, who’s not standing for a seat hosting a programme, they’re going to have to work bloody hard to make sure that those programmes are duly impartial. And we will come down on them like a ton of bricks [if they aren’t].”
Nigel Farage was reportedly paid £1.5 million to appear in the last series. And on his exit, Sam - King of the Jungle, reacted to the pay day.
Sam told The Times: "Mate, I would have done it for anything! It would have been a very, very easy negotiation. I would have paid them to be on it. It wasn't monetary, or a career move, I genuinely wanted to go and eat camel's penis. I wanted to meet Ant [McPartlin] and Dec [Donnelly], they're my heroes, the most iconic people of my life."
So far Coronation Street Alan Halsall who plays Tyrone Dobbs is rumoured to be heading into the jungle. The actor was originally lined-up to join the 2023 series, but a knee injury and surgery forced him to withdraw from the competition.
Alan shared his journey with fans on social media, revealing that he had undergone ACL reconstruction surgery and faced a tough "9-12 months of rehabilitation."
A spokesman for ITV said: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity are speculation."
