Matt Hancock donates 3 per cent of his £320,000 fee to appear in I’m A Celebrity

Former British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has donated 3 per cent of the £320,000 he was paid for his controversial performance in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.

As he entered the Australian jungle amid criticism from constituents and peers, Mr Hancock’s team said he would donate part of his entry fee to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk.

The Ministerial Interests Register revealed the MP’s fee for appearing on the ITV reality show was £320,000.

The West Suffolk MP, who lost the Tory whip over the appearance, said he had donated £10,000 to the hospice near his constituency and the British Dyslexia Association.

After the show ended in November, he emerged third from the Australian jungle behind actor Owen Warner and English professional footballer Jill Scott.

Mr Hancock was subjected to numerous punishing and disgusting tasks during his participation, including being forced to eat a camel’s penis and being covered in creepy crawlies.

Records in MPs’ register showed Mr Hancock was paid £320,000 by Lifted Entertainment, ITV Studios, on December 14, 2022 for the performance, which lasted 30 days – 720 hours in total.

A spokesperson for Mr Hancock said: “As well as raising the profile of his dyslexia campaign in front of 11million viewers, Matt also donated £10,000 to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk and the British Dyslexia Association following his performance I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.”

St Nicholas Hospice thanked Mr Hancock for the donation.

“We are grateful for his generosity and his gift will be used to fund the care and support we offer,” the statement said.

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Mr Hancock’s appearance on the show was controversial and his decision drew criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and other top Tories, as well as ridicule from some other MPs.

More than 1,000 complaints have been made to broadcasting regulator Ofcom over his participation.

While in the jungle, he was also grilled by his housemates, including Culture Club singer Boy George and ITV broadcaster Charlene White, for his behavior during the pandemic.

Before entering the jungle, Mr. Hancock said he had walked on i am a celebrity to “show who I am as a person” and raise awareness of dyslexia.

The register also showed he had been paid £48,000 to be interviewed and have his book published. Pandemic Diariesin which Daily Mail and post on Sunday newspapers.

Mr Hancock resigned as Health Secretary for breaching social distancing guidelines by kissing and hugging a staff member in his office.

After leaving i am a celebrityMr Hancock announced he would not be standing for the Conservatives in the next general election.

He said he was “incredibly proud” of the party’s achievements in government but told Mr Sunak he had discovered new ways to engage with the public and urged his party to get back in touch with the people connect to.

It was previously revealed that Mr Hancock had also earned £45,000 for appearing on Channel 4 Celebrity SAS: He who dares wins.

An earlier register entry revealed that he spent 80 hours filming the program while Parliament was on recess between September 24 and October 8, shortly before leaving for Australia.

His appearance on the Channel 4 show is expected to air later this year.