ITV bosses ‘worried I’m A Celeb’s Matt Hancock will be booed if reality show scoops gong at NTAs’ following politician’s scandalous COVID clinch

ITV bosses are said to be fearful that a possible win for I’m A Celeb at Tuesday’s NTAs could be overshadowed by boos for former political Matt Hancock. 

The ex-health secretary, 44, appeared in the latest series after resigning from the cabinet for breaking his own social distancing rules and getting caught in a clinch with then aide and now girlfriend Gina Coladangelo.

The series has won the Bruce Forysth Entertainment Award for the past four years  with the cast traditionally invited on stage to accept the honour and while Matt has been invited to the O2 ceremony it is unclear if he will attend. 

A source told The Sun: ‘They don’t want that glorious moment on stage to be affected by anything negative, but they also know the strength of feeling against Matt’.

‘They realise there’s not a great deal they can do to control the crowd of up to 20,000 people’.

Awkward: ITV bosses are said to be fearful that a possible win for I’m A Celeb at Tuesday’s NTAs could be overshadowed by boos for former political Matt Hancock, 44

Smooch: He appeared in the latest series (pictured)after resigning from the cabinet for breaking his own social distancing rules in a clinch with then aide and now girlfriend Gina Coladangelo 

Before adding: ‘Anyone who saw I’m A Celebrity last year and the reaction he sparked among campmates will see that he still has the power to divide more than two years after he was forced to quit Cabinet.’

MailOnline have contacted ITV for comment.  

Matt’s appearance in the series and divided both viewers and fellow campmates which the Tory butting heads with Boy George. 

He eventually finished in third place behind Hollyoaks’ and Lioness champion Jill Scott. 

Matt was married at the time of the clinch to wife of 15-years Martha, an osteopath, with whom he shares two-sons and a daughter.

They tied the knot after first meeting met as students at Oxford University. 

Mrs Hancock is said to have believed that her marriage was ‘happy and stable’ until her husband revealed that he was in love with his aide Gina Coladangelo.

Last year cays after they faced huge backlash for the ‘queuegate’ scandal, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were booed at last year’s ceremony as they accepted the Best Daytime Award for This Morning.

ITV’s This Morning presenters sparked outrage after they were alleged to have skipped the queue to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II at her lying in state in September 2022

Drama: Matt’s appearance in the series and divided both viewers and fellow campmates which the Tory butting heads with Boy George

Affair: Matt was married at the time of the clinch to wife of 15-years Martha, an osteopath, with whom he shares two-sons and a daughter (Matt and Gina pictured together)  

While he did not address the controversy, Schofield said the award means ‘so much to us every year, especially this year’.

‘Please don’t think we ever get complacent and please don’t think we ever take it for granted. This means so much to us every year, especially this year. We have the best boss.’

Willoughby added: ‘This Morning has a very special relationship with you, you make our show for us, you really do. All these guys on the stage here, Alison [Hammond] and Dermot [O’Leary], Rochelle [Humes] and Vernon [Kay], Josie [Gibson], everyone. Thank you for all your support.’

Despite having won Best Daytime for many years, there are doubts around whether This Morning will win at this year’s ceremony, after the show was shrouded in controversy following Phillip’s affair scandal.

The presenter admitted to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ relationship with a much younger colleague, and has stepped down from ITV altogether.

National Television Awards 2023: NOMINEES

New Drama

Beyond Paradise

Blue Lights

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

Wednesday

 

Reality Competition

Love Island

Race Across the World

SAS: Who Dares Wins

The Traitors

 

Authored Documentary

Deborah James: Bowelbabe in Her Own Words

Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now 

Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction

Rob Burrow: Living with MND

 

Returning Drama

Call the Midwife

Happy Valley 

 Stranger Things

Vera

 

TV Presenter

Alison Hammond

Ant & Dec 

 Bradley Walsh

Claudia Winkleman

Martin Lewis

 

Factual

Clarkson’s Farm

Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs

Sort Your Life Out

The Martin Lewis Money Show Live

 

Drama Performance

Brenda Blethyn, DCI Vera Stanhope, Vera 

India Amarteifio, Young Queen Charlotte, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

James Norton, Tommy Lee Royce, Happy Valley

Judy Parfitt, Sister Monica Joan, Call The Midwife

Sarah Lancashire, Catherine Cawood, Happy Valley

 

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway

Gogglebox

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

The Masked Singer

Serial Drama

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Hollyoaks

 

TV Interview 

Louis Theroux Interviews…

Piers Morgan Uncensored

The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show

The Graham Norton Show

 

Serial Drama Performance

Charlotte Jordan, Daisy Midgeley, Coronation Street

Danielle Harold, Lola Pearce-Brown, EastEnders

Dominic Brunt, Paddy Kirk, Emmerdale

Maureen Lipman, Evelyn Plummer, Coronation Street

 

Quiz Game Show

Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel

Richard Osman’s House Of Games

The 1% Club

The Chase Celebrity Special

 

Rising Star

Benjamin Chivers, Isaac, The Devil’s Hour

Bobby Brazier, Freddie Slater, EastEnders

Channique Sterling-Brown, Dee-Dee Bailey, Coronation Street

Lewis Cope, Nicky Milligan, Emmerdale

 

Daytime

Loose Women

The Chase

The Repair Shop

This Morning

 

Comedy

Brassic

Ghosts

Ted Lasso

Young Sheldon

 

Talent Show

Britain’s Got Talent

Strictly Come Dancing

The Great British Bake Off

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