Former politician and reality TV star Matt Hancock has opened up about the physical toll he experienced while participating in the upcoming season of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. In an interview with The Sun, Hancock revealed that he faced a barrage of physical and mental abuse during his time on the show.
Hancock, who resigned as Health Secretary in 2021 following a scandal, filmed Celebrity SAS last November before his controversial appearance on I’m A Celebrity… jungle. The show sees celebrities facing various mental and physical challenges in the jungles of Vietnam.
During one of the challenges, Hancock was paired with footballer Jermaine Pennant in a game called Murder Ball, where two teams wrestle to get a tire into a goal. Inadvertently, Pennant struck Hancock in the face, but surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as much as expected. Hancock explained, “The really surprising thing was that it didn’t really hurt when he hit me in the face because your adrenaline is so high, you don’t feel it.”
In addition to the blow to his face, Hancock also suffered from trench foot, a painful condition caused by standing in cold and wet conditions for extended periods. Hancock described his feet as red raw and said he struggled to walk or stand at the end of the challenge.
Despite the physical challenges, Hancock stated that appearing on the show helped him reassess his political career and shed some of the burdens of political life. He claimed that going on the show allowed him to be himself and transform from a politician to a human being.
However, not everyone is supportive of Hancock’s participation on the show. Some viewers have expressed their intention to boycott the show after learning that Hancock was paid £45,000 for his appearance.
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins will return to Channel 4 on Tuesday, September 26 at 9:30 PM.
