Boy George has revealed his mother was in hospital during the pandemic and said if she had not survived he would have quit I’m A Celebrity when Matt Hancock entered the jungle.
The Culture Club singer was in tears after the former health secretary, who was booted out of the Conservative Party over his decision to head to the jungle, entered camp for the first time.
Speaking to another star of the show, Boy George described how his mum was in hospital at the start of lockdown and he wasn’t able to visit her.
“I thought she was going to die,” he said. “And I was tweeting Greenwich Hospital saying please look after my mum.
“They did and she was fine, but I feel like I don’t want to be sitting here like I’m having fun with him.
“It is difficult for me because had something happened and my mum had gone, I wouldn’t be here now. I would have gone if he had walked in.”
Speaking to cameras in the Bush Telegraph later and still visibly upset, the pop star added: “If I had lost my mum, I would go.
“I feel a little bit selfish. Everyone was so nice to him, and I was like, Jesus, you know? What are we going to do.
“I don’t want to ruin this experience [but] I am not good at hiding what I feel especially when it is something so strong.”
And towards the end of the episode, Boy George said: “I don’t even know if I want to be here.”
Mr Hancock got a mixed reaction from the other campmates, with DJ Chris Moyles saying, “I can’t help but think he should be at work”, while former rugby professional Mike Tindall accused him of talking “b*******”.
ITV News presenter Charlene White questioned the former minister about why he had come on to the show, and he said it was because there was “stability” in government.
She replied: “We’ve had stability for all of five minutes Matt.”
But Mr Hancock said: “Rishi’s great, he’ll be fine.”
The controversial contestant entered on the ITV show alongside comedian Seann Walsh.
The pair were thrown in at the deep end by taking on “the beastly burrows” bushtucker trial to win food for the celebrities, struggling through creepy crawly-filled tunnels blindfolded to collect their stars.
They were also given a secret mission to be “moles” so they could earn luxury items for their campmates.
Opening the show, presenters Ant and Dec joked that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had now “downloaded the I’m A Celebrity app” so he could vote for Mr Hancock to face the trials.
The presenters also poked fun at Rishi Sunak, with Ant saying: “I am not sure how Matt is going to cope in camp though, surrounded by people who don’t know what they are doing, making it up as they go along and just trying to get by day to day.
“Evening prime minister,” added Dec. “You know how that feels don’t you?”
He then asked his co-presenter: “By the way, who am I talking to there? Who is it this week? Is it still Rishi? Is it still him?”
Ant replied: “I think so but they are probably due a new one before Christmas.”
After arriving back at camp with six stars out of a possible 11, Mr Hancock chatted with the other celebrities, as Boy George laughed and told him: “You’re really going to get it. You’re really going to get it.”
TV presenter and property developer Scarlette Douglas then asked the former minister why he had decided to do the show.
“Why?” he replied. “Because, all politicians are known – and me in particular – for being in a very sort of strict way of being, which is just not actually how we are.”
Instead, he insisted he was “more human than that”.
Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver told him “you’re a brave man”, while Mr Hancock said: “Well, we’ll see how it goes.”
Douglas said she was “looking forward to getting to know you outside of everything else”, telling the MP: “Just be your authentic self.”
Giving her verdict to the cameras in the Bush Telegraph later, she said: “To be fair, everyone’s human. We all have our own personalities outside what we are seen in the media.
“So listen, Matt Hancock has come on, he obviously has something to prove, so hey, everyone’s got their own reasons as to why they’re here.”
After a public vote for who should do the next bushtucker trial, Mr Hancock was chosen. He will do the task later, with his performance being shown on ITV tomorrow night.