Matt Hancock reaches the I'm A Celebrity final

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock could beryllium named the victor of ITV's I'm A Celebrity connected Sunday night.

The West Suffolk MP, who was suspended from the Conservative parliamentary enactment aft joining the world amusement line-up, is 1 of 3 finalists.

Hancock vies with England footballer Jill Scott and Hollyoaks histrion Owen Warner successful a nationalist vote.

But his TV quality has drawn criticism, including from a Covid bereavement radical and PM Rishi Sunak.

Mr Sunak has said helium was "very disappointed" successful the erstwhile wellness secretary, who had the Tory whip removed aft it was announced helium would beryllium appearing connected the ITV programme.

Mr Hancock, 44, has besides been criticised by Conservative colleagues and absorption MPs, arsenic good arsenic his section Conservative relation who said it was "disappointed" and accused the person of a "serious mistake of judgement".

Conservative MP Tim Loughton said helium was "disgusted" Mr Hancock had enactment personage up of his constituents, adding that losing the Tory whip was "the slightest helium deserves".

However, Mr Hancock has defended his determination to articulation the programme.

He has said helium went into the jungle to rise consciousness of his dyslexia campaign, portion arguing that the fashionable primetime amusement was "a almighty instrumentality to get our connection heard by younger generations".

He has antecedently said helium would donate immoderate of his interest for taking portion successful the amusement - reported to beryllium arsenic overmuch arsenic £400,000 - to a hospice successful his constituency and dyslexia charities.

The person has spoken connected the programme astir however being diagnosed with dyslexia astatine assemblage was a defining moment.

One of the aims of the MP's Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training Bill is that nary kid should permission superior schoolhouse "not knowing if they person dyslexia", a spokesperson for Mr Hancock said, up of his TV appearance.

The measure is owed to person its 2nd speechmaking adjacent week.

Soon aft his accomplishment successful the camp, situated successful a nationalist parkland adjacent Dungay, New South Wales, connected 9 November, a banner was flown implicit it bearing a message from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group.

"Covid bereaved accidental get retired of here!" the banner said.

Mr Hancock was besides challenged by chap campmates astir his determination to articulation the formed of the world show, including vocalist Boy George, who said it was "difficult" to person him determination aft his parent had been successful infirmary during the pandemic.

The then-Cabinet curate was forced to resign arsenic wellness caput successful June 2021 erstwhile CCTV images of him kissing his adjutant Gina Coladangelo successful his office, and thereby breaking the government's ain societal distancing rules, were published by The Sun newspaper.

Fellow campmate, TV presenter Scarlette Douglas, described the MP's behaviour arsenic "a slap successful the face" that idiosyncratic who had acceptable the rules had past breached them.

Mr Hancock expressed regret implicit breaking Covid guidelines telling campmates helium was looking for "a spot of forgiveness" adding that kissing Ms Coladangelo "was a mistake, but I fell successful love".

He defended his wide grounds arsenic wellness secretary, insisting "problems were caused by the virus" not those successful authorities "trying to lick the problem".

"Lots of the campmates asked questions that the nationalist person got arsenic good and it's lone respectful to conscionable springiness wholly consecutive and truthful answers," helium said later, speaking to camera successful the Bush Telegraph room.

The person justified his beingness to a chap contestant, the ITV News presenter Charlene White, saying: "There are truthful fewer ways successful which politicians tin amusement we are quality beings.

"Sometimes you person conscionable got to bash things differently."

Earlier this week, a authorities watchdog said Mr Hancock had breached authorities rules connected post-ministerial jobs by not consulting the anti-corruption watchdog, Acoba, earlier joining I'm A Celebrity, the body's chairman, Lord Pickles, said.

However, Lord Pickles advised ministers that taking enactment against the MP would beryllium disproportionate.

Mr Hancock proceeded to the last aft Mike Tindall, the erstwhile rugby subordinate and hubby to royal equestrian Zara Tindall, was eliminated from the programme connected Saturday.

The last programme begins connected ITV1 and ITVX astatine 21:00 GMT.