Politics

Matt Hancock spent two weeks filming SAS show before heading to jungle

Matt Hancock was paid £45,000 to appear on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, it has been revealed.

The former health secretary declared the payment in an update to the MPs’ Register of Interests published on Wednesday.

The entry also revealed he spent 80 hours filming the programme while Parliament was in recess between September 24 and October 8, shortly before heading to Australia to appear in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

Hancock is yet to declare the amount he was paid to appear on I’m A Celebrity, which finished on Sunday, but reports have suggested his fee for the show was significantly higher.

His appearances on the two shows have proved controversial, with his decision to head to Australia resulting in him losing the Conservative whip and putting his future as an MP in jeopardy.

He was also criticised by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which scrutinises former minister’s jobs, for failing to seek its advice on his TV appearances.

But Acoba chair Lord Pickles said it would be “disproportionate” to take any further action against him.

His appearance on Celebrity SAS is expected to air in 2023.

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Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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