After scandals, affairs, and poor leadership, how does a politician win back the public’s favour? A reality TV stint, of course. Or at least that’s what MPs like to think. From Celebrity Big Brother to I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, in a politicians mind, the only way to recover from public disgrace is to eat kangaroo testicles on national television.
Matt Hancock is the latest politician to test out this redemption arc after entering the nation’s most notorious celebrity reality show, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here. Upon entering the Australian jungle on Wednesday night, the Conservative politician told viewers that he can’t wait for them to see the ‘real’ him.
The ex-Health Secretary forgets that the public saw enough of the real him after he was caught caressing his colleague and aide Gina Coladangelo last summer. Not only did this reveal the politician’s infidelity to his wife, it also exposed his blatant disregard for the social distancing Covid-19 guidelines that he helped to put into place. It’s hard to see how crawling around a rat infested pit will allow the nation to forgive Hancock’s attempt at political leadership.
It’s already clear that Hancock is manipulating his time in the jungle to provoke the public’s sympathy. In Friday’s episode he said he’s “really looking for a bit of forgiveness” and that his mistake came as a result of “falling in love”.
If Twitter is anything to go by, Hancock’s efforts aren’t doing much to get the public on side. Our feeds are streamed with humiliating meme posts and frustrated outpours from the British people.
One user said “Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson are both still MPs, and get paid £84,144 to represent their constituents. One has been in the Caribbean for weeks and the other one is going on a f****** reality TV series.” Another user said Hancock’s willingness to be honest comes too late, posting “shame he’s using this uncharacteristic honesty in the jungle rather than at the #CovidInquiry.”
Further highlighting the nation’s disregard for Matt’s attempt at redemption was a recent Yahoo survey, in which 80% of voters said they believe politicians ‘should not take part’ in reality TV.
Whenever a politician gains the public’s disfavour, you can expect to see them desperately showcasing their ‘human’ side on reality TV within a couple of years. Think George Galloway’s Celebrity Big Brother stint that came just a few years after his expulsion from The Labour Party. Reality TV proves a common yet useless medium to redeem the public’s faith in public figures.
Not only is Matt Hancock’s a futile effort at redemption, it’s an irresponsible one too. How is it acceptable to retreat Down Under as the cost of living crisis sweeps the UK and inflation soars over 10% thanks to the inadequate leadership of your own party?
As Matt Hancock – an active politician who still has a duty to his country – chooses to spend his time jetting off for his own selfish gain instead of helping the nation get back on its feet, his efforts to show his ‘human side’ end up having the opposite effect. If politicians truly want us to take them seriously again it’s going to take getting our energy bills down and creating political stability, not chewing on a camel.
