THEY’VE braved spiders, rats and snakes, but losing out to disgraced Matt Hancock in tonight’s first eviction is the greatest fear of I’m A Celebrity campmates.
The celebrities are said to be “sh***ing themselves” over the potential humiliation of being less popular than the former Health Secretary, who broke his own Covid rules by having an office affair.
A source told HOAR: “Talk has turned to the evictions as they know they’re any day now and a few of the big personalities have started to get the jitters.
“Basically they are sh***ing themselves about being beaten by Matt.
“It would be a real dent to the ego if he proved more popular than them given everything he did during the pandemic.
“They think it would be humiliating to go out first and leave him in camp sitting pretty.”
Newsreader Charlene White, 42, is favourite to leave after fans were invited to vote for who they wanted to stay. The result will be revealed tonight in a 90-minute show.
Viewers appear to be easing off Matt after forcing him into a run of six gruelling trials.
Many are even backing him to win, despite his being forced to resign after HOAR published snaps of him in a clinch with aide Gina Coladangelo.
Instead, DJ Chris Moyles, 48, moved into the line of fire.
Alex Apati, of bookie Ladbrokes, said: “As far as punters are concerned, Matt Hancock has every chance of being crowned King of the Jungle.
“In fact, only Jill Scott has been more popular in the betting.”
Matt, 44, has attracted just 7.3 per cent less dosh than Jill, 35, and is five times more popular with punters than comedian Seann Walsh, 36.
Landing at Brisbane airport yesterday, Jill’s fiancée Shelly Unitt insisted that, for the Lioness, it was just the taking part that counted.
Shelly said: “I think Jill gets a good buzz from it even though I do hear she is the top favourite to win.
“I am just proud of her for being where she is now. She would be grateful and humble and ecstatic but she is not in it to win. It is about the experience.”
Before the eviction, Matt, the MP for West Suffolk, will be deselected as camp leader and will have to relinquish his red chair.
‘Matt is having an absolute holiday here’
He will have to wash the dishes and clean out the dunny after losing the top job. But the demotion comes after he enjoyed a day at the beach with Unfair Funfair trial winners Jill and Sue Cleaver, 59.
After a series of grisly challenges, their names were drawn in a tombola by hosts Ant McPartlin — celebrating his birthday today — and Declan Donnelly, both now 47.
The trio won a luxury BBQ on the white sands of the Gold Coast.
Seann griped: “Matt is having an absolute holiday here. Sat in that chair, has a sleep in that bed, then goes to the beach for the day.”
Boy George, 61, laughed: “Can I just cut you off there — he still has to be Matt Hancock.”
Matt told Jill: “You really, really deserve this after what you went through. And the fact that you’re so hungry.”
Arriving at the beach and seeing the BBQ set up, Matt exclaimed: “Have you seen the size of those shrimps? Delicious!”
Jill said: “Even just to see butter! Oh my god, real food! You kind of feel guilty with every bite.”
When they returned to the camp, their fellow celebrities were eager to find out what the beach jaunt had been like.
Matt said: “They flew us to near the coast. We went out on to the beach and it was all beautiful.
“Then they had a BBQ there — a big pile of sausages and steak.”
Jill confessed: “I had two sausage sandwiches. I feel bad saying it.” The rest of the camp managed to grill up eel for dinner after success in their own trial.
