I’m A Celebrity bosses bidding to sign up another former Prime Minister after Boris Johnson turns down mega-money deal
ITV bosses were prepared to make an audacious bid of more than £700,000 to get Boris Johnson into the I’m A Celebrity jungle.
Show chiefs are determined to build on the rating success of last year, when Matt Hancock appeared on the show.
But, despite what is believed to be the highest fee in the show’s history, former Prime Minister Boris, 59, declined when he was approached.
Now they are set to target another former PM — Liz Truss.
Other big-name politicians said to be interesting ITV are ex-Deputy PM Dominic Raab and former Chancellors Sajid Javid and Kwasi Kwarteng.
A TV insider said: “After seeing the effect of having former Health Secretary Matt Hancock on the show last year, bosses were keen to repeat the feat in the new series.
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“High-level politicians are virtually guaranteed to create controversy in the camp — which equates to compulsive viewing for fans at home.
“Having signed up Matt in 2022 and made an approach to Boris this year, jungle producers realise they have nothing to lose by targeting the biggest names in Westminster.
“Boris was likely to have landed a six-figure sum which would have been the highest ever on the show.
“Previously, the biggest was £600,000 for Noel Edmonds in 2018.”
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The bid came six years after Boris’ father Stanley Johnson, 82, took part on I’m A Celeb.
Another Tory politician, Nadine Dorries, took part in 2012.
Matt was initially reviled by many campmates last year. But he eventually finished in third place.
An average of ten million viewers tuned in to see England Lioness Jill Scott crowned Queen of the Jungle — 3.6 million more than for the 2021 final.
A spokesman for ITV said: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity are speculation.”
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “Boris is not doing this programme and is not in talks to do so.”
