I'm a Celeb: Matt Hancock's alleged health condition could exempt him from bushtucker trials

The former Health Secretary, who has come under fire for abandoning his constituency to crush cockroaches, rodents, mosquitoes, and spiders in the Australian jungle, may be exempt from the bushtucker trials on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, which is being filmed in Australia. If he goes ahead with the trials, the embattled Conservative MP may face serious health risks due to his alleged health condition.

All of the harsh criticism directed at the MP appears to have fallen on deaf ears, as he was photographed arriving at Brisbane airport on Wednesday, November 2, ahead of the upcoming series' premier on Sunday.

Hancock's health

Hancock is one of the prominent celebrities and the most criticized politician on the ITVshow set to air on 6th November 2022. The battered West Suffolk MP defended his decision to appear on the reality show, saying, it is a ‘powerful tool’ to reach young people after he was suspended as a Conservative MP. He said,

This is an amazing opportunity to engage with the public and talk about issues he really cares about - including his dyslexia campaign.

While filming Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, the MP allegedly developed trench foot, which will cost him votes. Because of his apparent condition, fans will be unable to vote for Hancock to participate in the resilience tests. A source told The Sun,

When he was filming SAS Who Dares Wins in October, Matt got trench foot - in fact, a lot of the cast did. It can take up to six months to recover from that, so any water-based tasks or swimming trials would be bad news for his feet.

What is trench foot?

Trench foot, also known as immersion foot, is said to occur when one's feet are submerged in water for an extended period of time, and it can be quite painful.

Trench foot symptoms include tingling and/or itching, pain, swelling, cold and blotchy skin, numbness, and a prickly or heavy sensation in the foot. After becoming warm, the foot may become red, dry, and painful. Blisters may form, followed by the death and shedding of skin and tissue. Trench foot, if left untreated, can affect the toes, heel, or entire foot.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even though trench foot appears to be a simple condition to treat, the environment plays a significant role because you need dry places and shoes to speed up the healing process. However, if luck eludes Hancock and the country continues to be hit by storms, his treatment may be prolonged.

Fans are disappointed, as he has been tipped at 2/1 by Bookies Betfair to be chosen to do the most I'm a CelebrityBushtucker Trials ever. Naughty Boy, a music producer, currently holds the record.

Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said:

Matt Hancock will be returning as a regular face on our TV screens this year after sensationally joining this year’s I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! cast.

The former health secretary is 2/1 to surpass Naughty Boy’s record of seven by doing the most bushtucker trials in history, while he is 4/1 to be the first departure from the jungle.

Sources used:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Trench Foot or Immersion Foot

The Sun: Matt Hancock set to break Bushtucker trial record as I’m A Celeb fans plot to put him to the test.