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On Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain, Susanna slammed the former health secretary for going on the hit reality TV show, arguing: “He’s not a celebrity!” during a heated debate with commentator Dominique Samuels and former politician Lembit Öpik. The latter argued Hancock has every right to join the programme despite the immense controversy surrounding the announcement.
“In my opinion, not only should Matt Hancock have lost the whip, I think that’s completely right, but I think Matt Hancock should be deselected!” Dominique argued.
“I don’t think he’s fit to be an MP and I think it’s clear now that he’s more interested in pursuing things that make him look better than he is in pursuing a career in politics.”
“Well it’s a good point Lembit,” Susanna cut in. “Because the programme is called I’m a Celebrity, he’s not a celebrity, he’s an MP!”
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He’s a celebrity now!” Lembit remarked. “He’s been on every front page-“
“And that’s the problem!” Dominque hit back. “We don’t want celebrities, I’m not interested in seeing Matt Hancock galavanting on TV, trying to reinstate his public image – because that’s what this is about.”
Lembit, who took part in the 2010 series, passionately defended Hancock, claiming he would have made the same decision to appear on the show.
“Would you have done it if you were a serving MP?” Susanna probed.
“Okay,” Lembit responded, “We can always make these arguments. Boris Johnson was in Barbados recently!
“You could argue that if somebody had an urgent problem in his constituency he couldn’t have got back very fast.”
“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” Susanna pressed as a frustrated Lembit hit back.
“Hold on a second,” he stated. “104 days a year are weekends, most MPs, Ed [Balls] knows this, work seven days a week.
“So if he bunches them all up that’s not really incomparable to having a full-length holiday like everybody else.
“I think we’ve got into a righteous indignation here, if this wasn’t on TV we wouldn’t be talking about it.”
He continued: “I think he has been pariahed because we can and incidentally, of course, that’s why ITV want him there.”
“Oh, I think it’s a genius booking,” the presenter agreed.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
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