I'm A Celeb: Matt Hancock in jungle prompts 1,100 Ofcom complaints

Ofcom has received 1,100 complaints astir erstwhile wellness caput Matt Hancock appearing connected the ITV amusement I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

There has been wide disapproval of Hancock for appearing connected the amusement portion helium is simply a serving MP.

Hancock has said helium hopes to rise consciousness of his dyslexia run portion successful the Australian jungle.

Ofcom volition present measure each complaints earlier deciding whether to investigate.

The broadcast regulator received conscionable nether 2,000 complaints astir the amusement successful total.

While much than fractional of those were complaints astir Hancock's involvement, immoderate of the others were from viewers expressing concerns astir however helium was being treated by his campmates.

In a blog station connected its website, Ofcom wrote: "It's worthy being alert that nether our rules, successful rule - and taking into relationship state of look - there's nary prohibition connected immoderate peculiar idiosyncratic taking portion successful programmes.

"However, if the specified beingness of a idiosyncratic is apt to origin offence, we would expect broadcasters to instrumentality steps to mitigate oregon warrant that offence. How they bash that editorially, is up to them."

Hancock was suspended from the Conservative parliamentary enactment aft it emerged helium was taking portion successful the show.

The 44-year-old was forced to resign arsenic wellness caput successful June 2021 aft helium kissed a workfellow portion the government's societal distancing guidelines were successful place.

Many questions stay astir the decisions made during the Covid situation by Hancock and different authorities ministers - and whether much lives could person been saved.

An enquiry scrutinising the handling of the pandemic has been launched, which Hancock has supported and is co-operating with.

On Tuesday, campaigners including Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice flew a banner implicit the Australian jungle, wherever the I'm A Celebrity campmates are stationed, demanding Hancock beryllium removed from the show.

Parliament's watchdog has besides received dozens of complaints astir his participation.

A petition acceptable up earlier the bid began demanding that ITV propulsion him from the amusement has implicit 45,000 signatures.

Hancock has fixed a robust defence of his determination to instrumentality portion successful the fashionable ITV programme, some earlier entering the jungle and erstwhile successful discussions with his chap campmates.

He said helium was going into the jungle to rise consciousness of dyslexia, telling the Sun that politicians indispensable "go wherever the radical are".

He has besides said helium volition donate immoderate of his interest for the programme to a hospice successful his constituency of West Suffolk and dyslexia charities.

During the show, helium has told the different celebrities that determination was "no excuse" for the actions that led to his resignation, adding: "Look, I cognize however radical felt. That's wherefore I resigned, right?"

But Hancock was told by his chap campmates that his Covid rulebreak had been "a slap successful the face". He aboriginal became affectional arsenic helium told campmates that what helium is "really looking for is simply a spot of forgiveness".

Hancock besides defended issues astir PPE proviso during the pandemic and the absorption of the microorganism successful attraction homes, saying: "There were reasons for the decisions that were taken and yet those problems were caused by the virus, not the radical who were trying to lick the problem".

His spokesperson has told the BBC that Hancock supports and is co-operating with an autarkic nationalist enquiry into the handling of the pandemic, and that producers person agreed helium tin pass with his squad astir immoderate urgent constituency matters that originate portion he's connected the show.

The complaints astir I'm A Celebrity, fronted by Ant and Dec, were made betwixt 8 and 14 November, Ofcom's latest reporting window.

ITV told the BBC it would not beryllium commenting.