Former health secretary could have his ‘Peter Andre moment’, jungle veteran Lembit Öpik says
Matt Hancock could be “set for life” financially after his appearance on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, according to the ex-MP and former reality show contest Lembit Öpik, who suggested it may turn out to be his “Peter Andre moment” – though the move will probably signal an end to his political career.
On Wednesday, Hancock announced he would appear on the ITV reality show, which led to him losing the Conservative whip and criticism across newspaper front pages, with the Mirror labelling him “the man with no shame”.
But Öpik said the move could be shrewder than people give Hancock credit for, and speculated that it had been well-coordinated by a good agent, including his book publication and “clearly sorted out messaging”.
“Most people never look back after being in the jungle. There’s a speaker circuit, a superficial celebrity circuit, all there for you after,” Öpik said.
“It really is a gamechanger. For Hancock, if he plays it right, it’s already made him a celebrity, but it will give him a whole new direction for the rest of his life.”
Öpik said Hancock’s trajectory might resemble that of Andre’s, whose flagging career received a boost by appearing on the show in 2004, adding that he personally continued to benefit from his 2010 appearance.
Hancock has nothing to lose, Öpik said, since after the kissing scandal that led to his resignation as health secretary, “he starts from such a low base in the public eye that the only way is up”. Hancock was also overlooked for a top ministerial job by the new prime minister, Rishi Sunak.