LEMBIT OPIK SAYS MATT HANCOCK WILL HAVE JUNGLE EXIT CLAUSE LIKE HE DID

FORMER MP Lembit Opik has defended Matt Hancock’s and says the former Health Secretary has a “break clause” which allows him to exit the Jungle in an emergency.

Mr Hancock – reportedly pocketing £400,000 for his stint on I’m A Celebrity – has also been backed by the ex-Lib Dem MP, who starred on the ITV show himself.

Speaking on GB News Breakfast, Lembit said today (SUNDAY) that the ‘break clause’ will allow Mr Hancock to exit the jungle, should he be needed by his constituents or political team in West Suffolk.

Öpik said: “My calculation would have been that most things could have been handled for that period of time.

“I was in incognito/incommunicado for 16 days, that’s how long I was in, but I would have had the same break clause, which I’m now sure he has.

“If an emergency happens in the constituency, you break your involvement with the show and you come out. So I think with that caveat, he’s not doing as much wrong as a lot of people say.”

Explaining why he’s supporting the ex Health Secretary, he added: “I’ve ended up being his [Matt Hancock] apparently only supporter in the whole of Britain at the moment.

“I’ve mentioned earlier last week that I thought it was quite a good move for him if he wants to make a career change. If he wants to be in the Cabinet? Not so much.

“But actually, it’s fairly clear he’s had this planned. If he’d gone into the Cabinet, he probably would have turned it down. That’s probably happy timing for him.

“ITV (has) played a blinder here. This is the first time in the history of the show and 22 series, that the politician has been the number one character head and shoulders above the rest in terms of media.”

“ITV is not here to rehabilitate, or to damn politicians, including Matt Hancock. They are about ratings, and they’re about advertising. And they have absolutely smashed it; every headline in the country for about three days in a row. I don’t think that ITV can be blamed.

“The question is, is there some kind of moral failing by Matt Hancock here? And I guess this is where maybe I’m more controversial as I don’t think he’s actually done anything wrong.

Lembit’s comments come a day after a leading showbiz agent told GB News how he believes Hancock could eventually pocket £1m from his Jungle stint.

He told Mark Dolan: “I suspect the reasons are quite simple. He needs to make a tonne of money. Now he’s divorced from a lady, he’s got children. He doesn’t get much money as a backbench MP, yet, his outgoings will be significant, if not more, so he needs a lot of money.

“Also, his career’s going nowhere in the Conservative Party. Rishi Sunak quite clearly isn’t going to give him a big job. So his career as an MP is coming to an end. I’m A Celebrity provides an opportunity to go on a new journey.”

Hancock is reportedly being paid a fee of £400,000 to take part in the ITV reality show, although Mr Shalit believes it could be less: “So my personal guess based on a lot of experience is he is probably getting around 250k. I don’t know, but that’s my guess. The papers never give the correct fees for anybody, the papers always get it wrong as to what people earn.”

Shalit also estimated that Hancock could face an earning potential of £1m a year, if his stint in the jungle goes well. He said: “I would say on average, a million pounds a year. I mean, if he does well in I’m A Celebrity, you could get a million to a million and a half the next year, but equally that could drop down to £750,000.

“But someone like Matt can probably make about a million pounds a year, quite often on weekends. For example, he could probably do three or four appearances for £10-15,000 each minimum, if not up to £60-70,000.

“Plus a few endorsements, plus television shows, plus writing. He’s going to have a lucrative career if he goes down the celebrity route, but it will be at the expense of having to resign his seat.”

Mr Shalit also added that he thinks this could mark the end of being a politician for Mr Hancock.
He added: “I think the thing about Matt Hancock is, and I’ve met him a few times, he’s a really nice guy. And I think everyone who gets to meet him likes him.

“And the way Michael Portillo has been mentioned is interesting as when he actually started becoming a celebrity at the end of his politician journey, he was the most reviled man in Britain, and people relish the fact he lost his seat. And he turned that on its head and has now become a very popular and amiable guy. I suspect Matt Hancock will do that.

“I suspect he’ll be liked a lot in the jungle, and I suspect he’ll go on to have a big media career. What I am surprised about and I say this to you, Mark, if you didn’t turn up to work tonight, and next week, you probably get fired.

“Yet, Matt Hancock’s an MP and he can go AWOL from his constituents for four weeks, not do his job and keep his job. What I find extraordinary is that you can become an MP and not have to sign an agreement to serve your constituents.”