Coco Hancock Brings Home The Windfall For ITV I’m A Celebrity. Chris Harris 2.11/22
You have to hand it to the I’m A Celebrity production team, ITV Studios for London Weekend Television
You can imagine then in their dream-up suite dreaming up a masterstroke to launch the series. Numerous names and ideas would have been contemplated but at some point in the office a genius must have exclaimed ‘Matt Hancock!’ Everyone in the room who had their own ideas for a publicity grab contender would have simply gracefully acceded to the genius of the proposal.
A man whose political credibility has been destroyed, needing publicity to launch his biography, vainglorious and nicknamed forever by the increasingly silly but accurate Daily Star Coco the Clown a precursor to Liz the Lettuce, he was the perfect buffoon to play the fall guy.
Launching any of the usual reality shows generally brings in press interest especially I’m A Celebrity. The production companies rely on it to keep them financially viable, the more revenue the greater the budget.
The ass Hancock unified the whole House of Commons in contempt for himself and nearly all of the newspapers carried the ‘outrage’ on their front pages. Hardly an outrage, Hancock being Hancock more like. No greater publicity could have been dreamt of in the offices of ITV Studios. They obviously or incidentally would have banked on Hancock to jump at the chance as they factored in he has no integrity.
I watched the first three series which started in 2002, I enjoyed them but never bothered again as the formula wore off on me and became repetitive, but if they can even get me back watching it their viewing figures and revenues will experience a Coco Hancock bounce.
I rather suspect someone at ITV will be getting a rather large bonus for a rather smart choice!
The Rights of Fans. 