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Politicians up and down the country are right now readying themselves for July’s snap General Election following sodden Rishi Sunak’s surprise announcement earlier this month.
However, post-July 4, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to regular telly watchers if some within Westminster were mulling over the possibility of whether to swap the streets of their constituencies with the jungle terrain Down Under.
In recent years, ITV’s I’m A Celebrity has welcomed a whole host of political figures into the jungle.
Nigel Farage made it all the way to last year’s finale, as did Matt Hancock the year before him.
Nadine Dorries, Edwina Currie, Kezia Dugdale, Stanley Johnson and Lembit Opik are just a handful of other political figures to have tried their hand at Bushtucker Trials.
But in 2024, it’s been reported that there will be a stop to any politicians jetting off to Australia – a decision hosts Ant and Dec alluded to last year.
Nigel Farage made it to the I’m A Celeb final alongside eventual winner Sam Thompson (right)
ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK
Even though the series will take place months after this year’s General Election, there has been no word that the decision has been reversed.
And it’s one that former campmate Opik isn’t too impressed with, explaining why in an exclusive chat for GB News members.
He said to GB News: “I think ITV got caught short like the rest of us in terms of the election timing.
“If the election had been in November, you couldn’t have had a politician there without getting all kinds of problems in terms of balance, because then you’d have had to have them all in.
Lembit Opik has lauded his own experience in the jungle
ITV
“But I think from a TV point of view, it’s a mistake (to ban politicians).
“I was just about the only person in Britain defending Matt Hancock’s choice to go into the jungle but the public agreed with me and he came third.
“Farage was lambasted for going into the jungle… once again, he came out smelling of roses.
“It did me a lot of good,” Opik continued as he reflected on his own experience. “I was actually a very unpopular person in the country after losing my seat, I came out (of the jungle) and improved my reputation.
“So for the politicians, it makes sense. But for ratings, it makes sense too.
“I’m sure people turned on to watch me, to watch Hancock, to watch Farage – this is a decision I think they’ll regret if they stick with it.”
One possible reason for ITV deciding to steer clear from politicians could be down to fears of complaints over bias towards one party over another.
If so, Ofcom could wield its power over the network – something it’s had no problems doing to the People’s Channel.
Lembit Opik regularly appears on the People’s Channel
GB News
It’s an issue Opik also touched upon when speaking to GB News on behalf of Instant Casinos as he ripped apart the regulator for its overseeing of the nation’s TV.
“Ofcom has shown the inadequacies of its own performance,” he began. “Ofcom in accusing GB News and others being overly political has proved that it’s political. It’s revealed its own bias.
“The whole thing’s a mess because the online world can do what it likes. Just because you got a mast instead of an Ethernet cable, completely different rules seem to apply.
“The people I trust is the public, if they don’t like the way a station does it, they don’t have to watch.
“And I think that this is the old media ganging up because they’re frightened of what’s coming down the line. And what’s coming down the line is not good for the old legacy media.
“So that’s what I think is happening here. We’re seeing a reset, which has been resisted by the past and Ofcom, I think, is part of the past.”
This year’s I’m A Celebrity line-up is yet to be released, although a few names have already been tipped to take part.
Phillip Schofield, Alex Beresford and Olivia Attwood are just three stars whose names have been rumoured to be involved.
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