24 February 2023 , 10:13
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Ant and Dec have opened up about how they really felt about Matt Hancock's controversial I'm A Celeb stint.
The presenting duo have talked about how they approached the former health secretary appearing on the iconic show, admitting it was "very difficult" having Hancock on the show due to the backlash it received at the time.
It comes after his eye-watering fee for starring on the ITV programme was finally revealed last month.
Since the 2022 show came to an end, a number of campmates have since said they struggled with him being a campmate due to what happened during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Hancock was found to have broken the lockdown rules that he had set when a video emerged of him kissing then-aide Gina Coladangelo.
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Matt Hancock took part in the most recent series (James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Speaking to the Huffington Post, Dec said: "I think it’s very difficult not to [feel that way]."
He added: "We were all affected by decisions that he made and situations he created, so it was very, very difficult. But we tried incredibly hard to be impartial and to put that to one side. And I hope we did it."
Ant went on to explain that the majority of celebs that take part in the show come with some sort of "baggage".
However, he said that once they're in the camp they become campmates and the hosts need to treat each of them equally.
The hosts talked about Matt Hancock appearing on I'm A Celeb (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Dec responded to critics of the controversial booking choice, saying the point of view has "validity".
He said: "I think it was interesting to allow him his say and to hear things from his point of view. Like I say, it was a situation that we all lived through, and he was at the centre of it.
"I kind of wanted to hear – now that he’s no longer a politician, and wasn’t doing his pivots in interviews – his side of the story, and his point of view."
They said they treat all campmates equally (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)After his stint on I’m A Celebrity, Hancock was suspended from the Conservative party.
He has also since said he will not run as an MP in the next election.
It was recently revealed that Hancock earned a six-figure sum to appear on I’m A Celebrity with just a portion of it being donated to charity.
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