Former speaker of the house John Bercow is reported to have demanded an apology after it was claimed he asked for £1million to appear on ITV reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Mr Bercow, who stepped down from the speaker’s chair for the final time on Thursday after ten years in the position, is said to be furious about the report on the front page of the Daily Mirrorwhich alleged he was in talks to feature on the reality TV show.
The programme, which includes celebrities being forced to undertake sensational ‘Bushtucker Trial’ tasks – often based around being covered by, or eating, insects – has previously attracted political figures including Kezia Dugdale, Nadine Dorries and Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley.
In a letter to the Mirror’s showbiz editor seen by the BBC, Mr Bercow said: "I must make it clear to you in the most uncompromising terms that I have not had the slightest interest now, or at any time, or on any basis to go on that programme."
He goes on to add that he "did not at any time to anybody ask for £1m to go on the show, which I consider to be utterly trashy".
Mr Bercow is understood to have complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation to claim the story was factually untrue.
However the newspaper stands by the story.
A Mirror spokesperson told the BBC: "We are confident that conversations took place between ITV and a representative for John Bercow about appearing on I'm a Celebrity and that these talks broke down over money."
Mr Bercow finished his final Commons debate on Thursday, closing with the word he was most famous for using in the chamber – “order”.
His replacement is due to be selected on 4 November – with current deputy Lindsay Hoyle the frontrunner to take on the position.
