I’m A Celebrity 2022: Matt Hancock dubbed ‘heart-throb’ by TikTok teenage fans

Controversial MP Matt Hancock has faced a grilling from campmates, six consecutive Bushtucker trials and has been stung by a scorpion since he arrived on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.

However, the former health secretary appears to have set pulses racing from his appearance on the ITV reality show as a legion of teenage fans have now dubbed him a ‘heart-throb’ on TikTok.

Multiple accounts have been made on the social media app dedicated to the West Suffolk MP, since he first joined the likes of Boy George, Mike Tindall and Jill Scott in the Australian jungle.

While some may have been created ironically, most praise Matt’s efforts in the show and express their admiration for him by labelling him as ‘cute’ and ‘fine’.

One account on TikTok named @Matt.Hancock.Daddy had accumulated nearly 2000 followers before being seemingly removed from the app.

On their since-removed videos which showed clips of Matt taking part in the trials, fans commented 'love u matt' and 'I love him bro, I don’t know what problem people have with him.'

Others said: 'Matt is actually so sweet' and, 'He’s actually perfect, I don’t care what anyone says.'

Matt’s sudden popularity with the younger generation echoes that of politician Ed Miliband’s in 2015, as he found himself subject to ‘milifandom’ after his appearance on I’m A Celebrity.

The then-leader of the Labour party accumulated an unlikely fanbase from teenage girls on Twitter after a 17-year-old student declared her admiration and was met with multiple responses.

For example, one tweeted: “If I ever met Ed Miliband, I could die happy tbh, he’s cool.”

Another concurred: “me: has a strong emotional connection to a 45-year-old politician.”

While Matt Hancock cannot respond to his legion of fans as he continues to live in the jungle, the Labour party responded to the fandom in 2015 by saying:

“We didn’t see this coming…If you’re fired up about Ed, changing Britain and making your voice heard, we’d love for you to be on the team.”