Nigel Farage has been seen at Brisbane airport in Australia, adding to speculation that he will be joining the lineup in this year’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!.
The former leader of Ukip and the Brexit party did not confirm when asked whether he was entering the jungle as part of the ITV show, but did tell a reporter that he “might be going in”.
He previously ruled out an appearance, saying the reality show was “humiliating”, but later said he was considering joining the programme, which had reportedly offered him “substantial sums of money” to take part. According to the MailOnline, the rumoured sum for his participation was £1.5m.
Although Farage declined to confirm his part in the I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! lineup, footage of him at the airport shows him telling a reporter that he had recently given up drinking alcohol for a week.
Speaking to the MailOnline, Farage said: “I can’t confirm I’m doing it … I just think there’s a big … audience out there that watches the programme [who are] actually, people … worth talking to.”
Other names rumoured to be joining the upcoming ITV reality show are the TV presenter Josie Gibson, First Dates star Fred Sirieix and social media influencer Nella Rose.
Last year, the former health secretary Matt Hancock was paid £320,000 for his appearance on the show. The politician, who was forced to resign from the government for breaking Covid rules, donated 3% of the fee to charity, according to the register of MPs’ financial interests.
Other politicians, ex-politicians and relatives of politicians to have featured on the show include Nadine Dorries, who was censured by the parliamentary standards committee for failing to declare her appearance fee in 2012; Edwina Currie, who appeared in 2014; and Stanley Johnson, Boris Johnson’s father, who appeared in 2017.
Contestants for the programme are customarily revealed shortly before the start of the series, which is hosted by Ant and Dec and filmed in Australia. The 2023 series is expected to begin airing on Sunday 19 November.
