Is Matt Hancock still an MP? When the former health secretary will step down and if he’s still a Conservative

Former health secretary Matt Hancock is one of several celebrities set to hit our screens as part of the forthcoming reality TV show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

The show, which takes personalities from the worlds of music, sport and television -and, now, politics – pushes them to their mental and physical limits in the jungle phase of SAS selection.

Months after reaching the final three in 2022’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Mr Hancock has elected to return to the medium of reality TV for a new instalment of gruelling challenges.

But where does this leave his political career?

Is Matt Hancock still an MP?

Matt Hancock served as secretary of state for health and social care from July 2018 to June 2021.

However, in May 2021, it was revealed that he had breached Covid-19 social distancing rules and was having an affair with with Gina Coladangelo, who he appointed the previous year as an adviser in the Health Department. CCTV footage emerged of the pair kissing in his Whitehall office.

Mr Hancock stepped down from his Cabinet post, writing in his resignation letter: “We have worked so hard as a country to fight the pandemic. The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis.

“I want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologise to my family and loved ones for putting them through this. I also need [to] be with my children at this time.”

In his letter he praised the “dedication and courage of the NHS staff” but failed to mention those who work in social care.

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He remains MP for West Suffolk. However he now sits as an independent in the House of Commons.

This is because he was stripped of the Conservative whip last November after it emerged he was joining the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. He was retained as a Tory party member.

His decision to appear had been criticised by MPs and Rishi Sunak, who said he was “very disappointed” in the former health secretary.

Mr Hancock breached the Government’s business appointment rules by not consulting the watchdog before appearing on I’m A Celebrity…, the chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments said. However, it was recommended that no further action should be taken.

While on the show, he admitted to his campmates that there was “no excuse” for the actions leading to his resignation, but insisted that he “fell in love”. He added that he was looking for “forgiveness” for his actions.

Mr Hancock will step down from his West Suffolk seat at the next general election.

What has Matt Hancock done since his resignation?

In December 2022, Mr Hancock published his Pandemic Diaries, covering the period from January 2020 to June 2021, and taking in his time as health secretary leading the Covid response.

i’s Rod Dacombe, who spent the pandemic driving an ambulance for the NHS, described the book as “absurd and devoid of literary flair, presenting the successes of the pandemic response as a feat of personal political skill”.

Despite Mr Hancock’s spokesperson telling Politico in December 2022 that he was ​“definitely not doing any more reality TV”, in February 2023, he set up his own “television and broadcasting” company after suggesting that he hopes to pursue a career in TV.

His stint on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity earned him £320,000, £10,000 of which he donated to charity. He also scooped £45,000 for his appearance in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins on Channel 4.

What has Matt Hancock said about his appearance on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins?

The 44-year-old said being on SAS was “like nothing else I’ve ever experienced” and was one of the toughest physical and mental things he had ever done.

“It really opens your eyes and makes you look into yourself,” he said. “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.”

How can I watch Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins?

The show is back on Channel 4 for seven one-hour episodes starting at 9.30pm on Tuesday 26 September. Subsequent episodes will then be shown every Sunday at 9pm from 1 October.