Nigel Farage on I'm a Celebrity... please someone, get ME out of here!

The purpose of these reality shows is to entertain, however, the recent decision to include failed politicians in the mix with TV personalities, musicians, influencers and the like, is not something I’ve found particularly, well, entertaining. These are the people directly responsible for conditions not seen in this country since Victorian times and who have overseen the deplorable handling of a pandemic, where loved ones died alone while the people in power went to karaoke parties or struck up affairs with colleagues - yes, I’m looking at you, Matt Hancock.

While those in poverty decide whether to heat or eat, these shameless charlatans swan about lining their own pockets and doing whatever it takes to keep themselves in the limelight. They have failed at the hugely important jobs they had the privilege to hold and have decided the natural next step therefore is to try their hand at a spot of reality TV. 

And the decision to give Farage a platform on prime time television just about takes the biscuit. A figurehead for the Brexit campaign, he is one of a long list of very vocal EU detractors, full of rhetoric in the run-up to the referendum and without ideas when it came to making Britain’s departure from the European bloc actually work. And now, while we all suffer financially and otherwise from breaking free from the union, Farage gets to bank a rumoured £1.5 million for a few weeks ‘work’ in the Australian jungle. Perhaps now he’ll have enough to reopen an account at Coutts.

The privately-educated son of a millionaire stockbroker pretends to be a ‘man of the people’ while continuously trying to stir up hatred among them, and ITV have now given him the opportunity to spew his xenophobic diatribe to the masses once again. And the cherry on top, with national treasures Ant and Dec playing host to proceedings, his vile opinions will be given an extra air of respectability.

I’ll be joining those switching off from this year’s I’m a Celebrity… and I hope enough people are equally revolted by a certain member of the line-up to do the same. Perhaps then we can get back to reality TV giving us a little escapism from the politicians more interested in coining it in themselves than to give a thought for the ordinary people wondering how they will make it through a cost of living crisis.