Nigel Farage on I’m A Celebrity will have Rishi Sunak watching through his fingers – here’s why
THE sight of Nigel Farage trying to force down a kangaroo anus might be the TV moment of the century for his army of Remainer critics.
But the prospect of him entering the I’m A Celebrity camp will have one viewer watching through their fingers – Rishi Sunak.
The PM knows that giving the Brexit hero an ITV soapbox to speak to millions or ordinary voters is potentially more perilous than any of the snakes inhabiting the Australian jungle.
Night after night, Farage would be able to trash the Tories to a whole new audience, obliterating them on illegal immigration, fudging Brexit and hiking taxes.
Contrast Farage’s straight-talking brashness with Sunak’s own relatively mild-mannered style.
He is arguably a more effective communicator than any of the current Cabinet, a skill he used to embarrass half of them over the years and win millions of fans in the process.
Some of his biggest champions reckon he could even one day lead the Tory party.
And then there’s another thought: that people just might actually like the guy.
No doubt some of his fellow campmates will try to take some pot shots in the hope of getting a cheer on Twitter.
But as we saw with Matt Hancock, the general public hates people ganging up on someone and backs a plucky underdog.
Could Farage’s cheeky chappy charm see Brits – and the other celebrities – warm to him?
He will have to be careful not to lose his rag, especially as his beloved cigarettes are contraband in the jungle.
But if he can keep his cool, it could be yet another headache for a PM languishing 20 points behind in the polls.
It’s why many think the call into ITV to vote out Farage won’t come from Remainers – but from Downing Street.
The Sun exclusively revealed that the former Brexit Party chief, 59 — who previously said he had been invited on the show “several times” — was in advanced talks with ITV’s show bosses last month.
The deal, possibly worth up to £1million, is being brokered by 2017’s winner Georgia Toffolo’s talent company — The Visionary Talent Agency.
Boy George was rumoured to have received £900,000 for his jungle stint last year and Farage has reportedly bagged a deal worth up to £1million.
Producers reckon signing him up will ensure another hit series after last year’s when disgraced ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock was a stand-out contestant.
They have already enlisted jockey legend Frankie Dettori and This Morning’s Josie Gibson.
But some fans are already refusing to watch the show after he was confirmed as a contestant for the line-up.
One said: “First time for years, I won’t be watching I’m A Celeb. Matt Hancock was enough. Farage is too much.”
Another said: “Farage heading to the I’m A Celeb jungle. I vote we just leave him in there.”
Producers hope Farage will grab the same number of headlines as disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock – last year’s stand-out contestant.