- Angela Rayner, former Labour deputy leader, was almost on this year’s I’m a Celebrity
- ITV initially decided against featuring politicians after Nigel Farage’s appearance
- The producers considered Angela Rayner despite their no-politician rule due to her significant political profile
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A leading Labour politician nearly ended up on this year’s I’m A Celebrity after being ‘impossible to say no to’.
In the months leading up to the return of ITV’s iconic reality series, speculation has always been rife about which celebrities will be heading into the jungle.
This year’s series is already proving to be a hit with fans, after a host of star-studded names – including Kelly Brook, Aitch, and Shona McGarty – joined Ant and Dec Down Under.
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In recent seasons, ITV bosses have decided to include a wide variety of stars, including political figures.
The likes of Conservative politicians Nadine Dorries and Matt Hancock have enjoyed their time in Australia, while Nigel Farage was also a major name to join the series.
Now, however, it has been suggested that former Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner could potentially have been taking part in I’m A Celebrity.
Speaking on the Rest is Entertainment podcast, Richard Osman unveiled the rumour.
Talking to his co-host Marina Hyde, he began by saying: ‘A couple of years ago Ant and Dec said “we’re not having any more politicians on this show”.
‘After Farage, they said “you know what this is not what we want”.’
‘This year, my understanding is Ed Davey was offered to them. They said no, listen, we’ve said no politicians.
‘There was another name that came along that I think ITV found impossible to say no to.’
Marina then added: ‘Well, it would have been impossible to say no to Angela Rayner going on it.
‘Now she got really quite far, and her people, in talks to do this, and I mean what a moment for her if you thought last week was chaotic for Labour, try and imagine this week if Angela Rayner was now basically running a proxy leadership campaign by the medium of eating kangaroo testicles on ITV Prime time.
Richard continued: ‘She would be a very, very, very current, significant political figure.
‘With someone like Angela Rayner you’d have all your publicity week one, and she’d have been a great booking.
‘But this lineup makes more sense when you consider Angela Rayner. I think ITV felt maybe that this was going to happen.’
This comes after viewers predicted fireworks between Kelly Brook and presenters Ant and Dec, with whom she had a war of words with in the late 2000s when she was a judge on Britain’s Got Talent.
I’m A Celebrity continues on ITV1 tonight at 9pm.
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