I'm A Celebrity's Matt Hancock opens up about ‘harrowing’ money struggles when he was younger

23 November 2022, 10:36 | Updated: 23 November 2022, 10:55

Matt Hancock reveals he was nearly homeless at 14 as family hit financial difficulty

By Naomi Bartram

Matt Hancock has recalled the ‘harrowing’ experience of his family nearly losing everything when he was a child on I'm A Celebrity 2022.

Matt Hancock has opened up about struggling with money when he was a child.

The former health secretary is currently competing on this year’s I’m A Celebrity and has been causing controversy among the contestants and viewers.

On last night’s show, he opened up about the ‘harrowing’ experience of his family nearly losing everything.

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During a chat about generational differences, Seann Walsh asked Matt if he had ever had the bailiffs round.

Matt Hancock reveals his 'tough' childhood on I'm A Celebrity 2022. Picture: ITV

He replied: “When the business nearly went bust we nearly lost everything.

“You know when you type your postcode into the internet and it brings up your address? My stepdad wrote that software.

“The business started in 88 and in the early 90s is when it nearly went bust.”

Matt continued: “We were going to lose the house, both my step dad and mum were going to lose their jobs. That was pretty harrowing. I was about 14.”

Seann then responded: “B****y hell, kill the vibe Matt.”

To which Matt replied: “Well you said have you ever had the bailiffs round!”

Matt Hanock opened up about his childhood on I'm A Celebrity. Picture: ITV

Elsewhere in the conversation, Boy George said he feared the bailiffs coming while he was growing up after his father's difficulty with money.

He said: “My dad was a builder, owned his own firm. He was a gambler. He would take £10,000 and put it on a dog.

“Dad would say, 'Don't answer the door… the bailiffs, or the gas man was coming…’''

The Karma Chameleon star - who has now been voted out of the jungle - also recalled his parents’ reaction to him first making it as a musician.

He said: “I was playing at the Albert Hall and it was kind of a big gig, it was kind of early on and my sister’s best friend’s husband said to my dad, ‘You must be really proud of him?’ My dad goes, ‘Yeah, he does what he does and I do what I do’.”

The 61-year-old added: “Or my mum used to say, ‘You never say you love me’ and he’d say, ‘I’m here aren’t I?‘“