Matt Hancock to Appear on Second Reality Show, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins
Key Highlights :
Matt Hancock, the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Suffolk, is set to appear on his second reality show, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. The show, which will air from September 26th, will feature Hancock alongside 15 other celebrities, including singers Michelle Heaton and Siva Kaneswaran, TV personality Danielle Lloyd, former footballer Jermaine Pennant, and former rugby player Gareth Thomas.
Hancock's constituency covers Newmarket, and he was born in Chester before attending school in the county and later graduating with a first-class degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University. He then studied at Christ's College at the University of Cambridge. He was elected to the MP role for West Suffolk in 2010 and has held several ministerial positions since then. In 2012, he trained as a jockey and won a horse race in Newmarket.
Hancock was the health secretary when the coronavirus pandemic hit and played a prominent role in the Government's response, including obtaining personal protective equipment and expanding the test and trace system. In June 2021, he resigned from the role after being caught on camera breaking social distancing rules by kissing and embracing a colleague, Gina Coladangelo.
In November 2022, Hancock announced he would be appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, although it was filmed while Parliament was in session. The announcement resulted in his losing the whip. He finished in third place.
Hancock was diagnosed with dyslexia at university and said he wanted to appear on the show to raise the profile of his dyslexia campaign. Ahead of Celebrity SAS being aired, Hancock, 44, told PA: "Being on SAS was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. It's one of the toughest physical and mental things I’ve ever done. It really opens your eyes and makes you look into yourself. After coming through the most challenging period as health secretary during the pandemic, I wanted to push my limits. It’s safe to say the course tested my resilience."
The other celebrities taking part in this year's show are reality stars Montana Brown, Teddy Soares and Amber Turner, comedian Zoe Lyons, actress Kirsty-Leigh Porter, British Olympian Perri Shakes-Drayton and Paralympic gold medallist Jon-Allan Butterworth.
It remains to be seen how Hancock will fare on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, but the MP for West Suffolk is no stranger to challenges. He has a long history of pushing his limits, both professionally and personally, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in the upcoming series.
