Lembit Opik thinks Matt Hancock "redeemed himself" by taking part in 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!'
Lembit Opik thinks Matt Hancock has redeemed himself with jungle appearance
The 44-year-old politician served as the UK's health secretary during the COVID-19 pandemic but resigned when he was caught breaking his own guidelines by having an affair with Gina Coladangelo and controversially signed up for the ITV reality series in which he eventually placed third.
Now, fellow MP Lembit Opik,57, - who finished in 10th place on 'I'm A Celebrity...' in 2010 - explained that Matt was "right" to take part in the series as he spoke out in his defence and explained that
He said: "I would say he was right, he did redeem himself and he got to the final and I'm sorry to say that's a lot better that I did!"
"My agent Terry Mills, he was HIV+ and he died of COVID and my mother, I didn't see her for 18 months before she died. Just because he's got a past - people make mistakes. The fact is that he is going back into very serious analysis. 3 out f 10 people have changed their view which is not bad."
Lembit added that Matt - who had undertaken six consecutive trials during his 21-day stint in the jungle but was beaten in the grand final by 'Hollyoaks' star Owen Warner, and Queen of the Jungle and Lioness Jill Scott - went onto the show "vilified" and hopes that the reality TV stint has led to forgiveness from the rest of the country.
Speaking on ITV's 'Good Morning Britain', he added: "To the best of my knowledge they do not rig the ballot for 'I'm A Celebrity.' He went in there vilified, he doesn't expect everyone to forgive him, all I'm saying is I don't think he made those mistakes on purpose and he resigned. I forgive him and I hope the rest of the country does. "
Tagged in Jill Scott