NOTHING unites a group sliding into internal combat than an attack from an outsider.
Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock‘s arrival on I’m A Celebrity last night appeared to heal the rifts that had been forming within camp – at least for the time being.
It caused rippled responses from the campmates, ranging from tearful anxiety to suppressed anger – while Matt, 44, appeared largely oblivious to the “mockery” he was pelted with.
Here body language expert Judi James analyses the cast’s reaction and what it could mean for camp – as well as the subtle clues that betray Matt’s real feelings.
Matt tried to look harmless with his goofy grin and his awkward behaviour – his body language suggests human is his second language.
He seems to be approaching this experience like one of his hospital visits as Health Minister, moving through it smiling politely and performing some very fake, over-kill laughs while blanking out anything that might sound critical or non-complimentary.
His laugh involves a wide throwing open of his mouth and a lot of noise – but his unsmiling eyes tend to scan about, as though checking out his audience.
This kind of incongruent, fake-looking behaviour will alert and affect the others as much as anything else.
Matt looked oblivious to all the mockery that he was pelted with.
Seann Walsh was instantly bent double, red-faced in helpless laughter the moment he clapped eyes on him.
The comedian spent a whole seven seconds rocking forward, choking on one laugh and swearing in front of the camera in the hut.
For a long time everything Matt said or did set Seann off again, while Matt just watched with a puzzled expression.
Too close for comfort
Their introductions to each other involved rituals that made it look like Seann was training an alien to do normal human behaviour.
Matt spat right in his face at one point. In another scene Sean tried to make Matt jump by pushing his hand into his face, telling him with an expression of disbelief that he was supposed to leap away in fear when Matt came up with no response at all.
Matt’s spatial behaviour is as odd as it was outside the jungle.
As Seann spoke to camera, Matt seemed to sidle up too close, using a close-up staring gaze that appeared awkward and uncomfortable.
He launched into an Ed Sheeran song at one point, singing and staring at the same time, as though challenging Seann to look away or to laugh at him.
Rejection signals from camp ‘alpha’
Like a group of animals under attack, several camp members grouped around their alpha – Mike Tindall – when Matt and Seann arrived.
While the others performed some acts of polite greeting to Matt, Mike was possibly the one showing the strongest signals of rejection via his body language.
He stood at a large spatial distance to shake hands with Matt, despite the fact that Matt did a very respectful handshake as though he wanted to be friends.
Matt’s slapping shake and eye contact looked like a special signal to acknowledge equal power – and this will have annoyed Mike even more.
Mike kept his mug of tea held out in his left hand to suggest a desire to move away quickly and get back to what he was doing.
He also sat watching with his arms folded in a powerful barrier.
There were no performed challenge or status displays towards Matt, but his comment to the others of hearing “bulls**t, bulls**t, bulls**t” when Matt spoke let his feelings be known in a very unfiltered way.
With all the alphas in camp, it is a very strong group when it comes to fighting any unpopular individuals – too strong.
If they reject Matt in any way he will become isolated, which will look like bullying and risk making the campmates look bad, especially a powerful, fearless silverback alpha like Mike.
‘Unlikely winner’
Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner seemed to have the best survival response of them all, displaying the kind of unconcerned naivety children have.
He seems to take all things in his stride since he stopped challenging Mike for the alpha role and settled into the role of ‘Free Child’ in the camp of much older celebrities.
Owen can only win from the current set-up. His body language suggests he can happily swerve all the current anxieties and emotions that are building in camp.
This means he should dodge any fall-outs or taking sides.
He is currently like a big kid in a sweet-shop, impressed by everybody and everything and happy to just play games.
His bonding with Jill Scott in their campervan will allow them to keep outside most of the current angst and action and just enjoy the experience and possibly head for a series win.
Trials ‘resentment’
Anyone hoping that voting for Matt to do all the Bushtucker Trials is some kind of retribution needs to re-think.
There were two very telling responses when it was handed out last night.
The first was from Mike, whose grimace of disappointment as he was told “it’s not you” showed how resentment might grow if Matt gets all the trials that he’d been looking forward to doing.
The second response was from Matt himself. Being voted for the trial made him the centre of attention.
He looked utterly delighted as he sat nodding and beaming, clearly taking it as a sign that the public want to see more of him.
