Jason Manford explains why he's refusing to watch I'm A Celeb for a second year
Comedian Jason Manford is refusing to watch I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! for the second year in a row.
The 8 Out of 10 Cats star, 42, didn't tune into last year's series once former health secretary Matt Hancock arrived at the star-studded camp and will be switching off his TV when the reality TV series returns once again this weekend, thanks to controversial former MEP Nigel Farage.
Farage - whose inclusion in this year's series of I'm A Celebrity has already angered many fans of the ITV series, with thousands vowing to boycott the show this year - has reportedly bagged himself an eye-watering £1.5million pay cheque in exchange for his stint in the jungle.
But many I'm A Celebrity fans are furious with ITV's decision to give the controversial GB News presenter an even bigger platform on national primetime TV - including comic Jason. Dad-of-six Jason took to Twitter (aka X) on Tuesday morning to let his followers he will be boycotting the series once again this year.
Jason Manford isn't a fan of ITV giving controversial politicians a pay cheque and even bigger platform (Getty Images for The National Lo)
A Get Farage Out of Here campaign has been launch ahead of this weekend's launch (AFP via Getty Images)In a tweet shared with his 459,200 followers, The One Show host wrote: "Gutted to have to miss another series of Im a Celeb! H**cock last year & F****e this year, it’s a hard nope! Shame cos there’s some lovely and charming other contestants going in."
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"Careful Jason . Such prejudice will lose you support from your fan base," one of Jason's followers warned in the replies. "We live in a democracy where others are supposedly permitted a different view, albeit this is now showing not to be the case." Jason was unbothered by his fan's concern, quipping back: "I don’t care, the guy is a t**t [thumbs-up emoji]."
Jason's planned boycotted as a Get Farage Out of Here gains momentum, with already more than 1000 people writing to ITV to protesting platforming the far-right figure. Best for Britain have launched a new campaign calling on the public to pledge to boycott the show in opposition to its platforming of far-right figures - describing Farage as best "known for his xenophobic politics, inflammatory rhetoric, and divisive role in British society."
Speaking in a statement on Monday, Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain, said: "While the thought of Farage mingling with other creepy-crawlies may seem appropriate, anything that normalises or amplifies his toxic views must be opposed. After a weekend that saw police injured at the hands of a far-right mob, and after years of his politics poisoning our society, we want the public to send a clear message to Ant and Dec, ITV and the media at large, that giving a divisive populist like Farage a nightly primetime platform is not good for our country."
In response to the campaign, a spokesperson for ITV said on Monday: "I’m A Celebrity has always featured a diverse cast from all areas of public life and has a history of featuring political figures throughout its 20 years on screen. As with any camp mate, viewers are invited to form their own opinions when the show begins on Sunday."
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