Nigel Farage.

Neve Dawson

ITV’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! returned to our screens on Sunday 19th November, bringing with it the return of ex-UKIP party leader Nigel Farage.

Politicians Redeemed By Reality TV

Farage’s appearance on mainstream reality TV has raised questions about whether ‘TV rehabilitation‘ can be used as a means to gain redemption in the public eye.

Politics and reality entertainment have long gone hand in hand. Before now-Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt was voted ‘Britain’s sexiest MP’, she charmed the public on ITV’s Splash!, making a compelling case for reality TV and favourable polling.

Past celebrity appearances in the Celebrity Jungle have included former Labour leader Kezia Dugdale and Nadine Dorries.

Unfortunately, Dorries fell short of gaining either the public or her own party’s approval, as she was subsequently suspended by the Conservatives due to her appearance being unauthorised.

“Hancock placed third in the competition, gaining a place in the I’m A Celebrity Hall of Fame as well as back in the public eye.”

Last year, ex-UK health secretary Matt Hancock debuted his public reappearance on the famous I’m A Celebrity Bushtucker trials. Hancock had faced widespread criticism for his handling of the Coronavirus pandemic and an extramarital affair that breached his own social distancing rules.

In the early episodes of Hancock’s 2022 series appearance, the public voted to ensure the former cabinet minister completed six consecutive ‘trials’, including forcing him to eat camel genitalia.

During his appearance, Hancock offered candid justifications for his controversies. Speaking on his affair, he told fellow campmates that, “It’s no excuse, but I fell in love.”

Hancock ultimately placed third in the competition, gaining a place in the I’m A Celebrity Hall of Fame, as well as back in the public eye.

He went onto appear on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins in September of this year, seemingly now known as a face of primetime television, rather than for his former political policies and embarrassing personal mishaps.

Fare-thee-well Nigel Farage?

Serving as UKIP leader and a fierce campaigner against the European Union, many would argue that without Farage’s political influence, the UK may not have voted for Brexit.

Despite this, Farage’s reputation has been undermined in past years due to his alleged “cravings for fame, money and sex.”

Most notable are Farage’s contested policies on immigration and views on minority religious groups.

Coined by political journalists as ‘the man who broke Britain‘, Farage’s appearance on reality TV and his return to the public sphere has been regarded with suspicion by many. Just last month, Farage claimed at the Tory party conference that he intends to be leader of the Conservatives by 2026.

Among the concerns of many are claims that the ex-politician’s return to the limelight is a means to ‘fun-wash‘ his far-right reputation.

Zoe Williams, Opinion writer for The Guardian wrote: “I’m a Celebrity, more than any other reality TV show, has a redemptive effect on even the most sullied reputation.”

In an attempt to whip up public appeal, Farage commented on his nomination for his first Bushtucker Trial of the series, quipping on Twitter/X: “Unlike Remainers, Nigel will be more than happy to respect the will of the people!”

Promising to show the public “the real me,” Farage is set to earn £1.5 million for his appearance on the show.

Despite battling through slime and snakes in order to win time for other campmates, Farage does not appear to have drawn an audience. Overnight ratings have shown that viewing figures fell by two million for the opening episode of the series.

Dwindling audience numbers therefore beg the question: Will Farage’s rehabilitation attempt be as smooth sailing as Hancock’s?

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Featured image courtesy of European Parliament via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

BA English + History Student at the University of Bristol | News, Culture and Arts Journalist for Empoword Journalism, Epigram News, So Young Magazine and The Rodeo Magazine.

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