'You're making a big mistake' ex-pop star warns Matt Hancock

Former Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley said he thinks Mr Hancock is making a “big mistake” by signing up to the ITV programme, adding that he thinks politicians “need to be above celebrity”.

Mr Hancock had the Tory whip suspended after it emerged that he was joining the reality show at a time when Parliament is sitting and has faced criticism from opposition politicians and from within his own party.

Hadley, who appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2015, made the comments after picking up his MBE for charitable services to Shooting Star Chase Children’s Hospice Care during a ceremony with the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

The singer said: “If I was him I wouldn’t have gone in. I think that politicians need to be above celebrity. And I don’t think it’s a good move for him.

“The whole country is going through a mess. We’ve got stupid wars going on in Europe, Ukraine, Russia, crazy times.

“We’ve got China threatening Taiwan and stuff like that. Our politicians need to be focusing on what’s the problem at hand, not going into a jungle.

“I mean, he’s talking about ‘I’m going to talk about dyslexia’. Trust me. They’re not interested in dyslexia when you’re in the jungle.

“They’re interested in, you know, why he left his wife, why he was caught red-handed.”

Tony Hadley had words of caution for Matt Hancock

Asked if he thinks Mr Hancock will regret it, Hadley said: “I think he’ll regret it, yeah, I really do.

“And the one thing is, is that Matt Hancock will be given every single trial that is voted on by the public every single day of the week.”