Um so ahead of his I’m a Celeb appearance, apparently Matt Hancock has trench foot

Right, so I wish I could say I was joking, but the truth of the matter is this: Matt Hancock reportedly has trench foot. Yes, the condition from World War One.

Hancock is due to appear on I’m a Celebrity 2022, the first episode of which started last night, and people are already saying they’re going to be voting for the former health secretary to do every single challenge.

But now we might not get the chance because apparently Matt Hancock has trench foot, which could leave him medically exempt from certain I’m a Celebrity challenges and trials.

What on earth is going on in the House of Commons, and how does Matt Hancock have trench foot?

A source told The Sun that Hancock apparently got trench foot whilst filming Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins last month.

After it emerged last week that Matt Hancock was going to be in the I’m a Celeb jungle, he had the Tory whip suspended. The deputy chair of the West Suffolk Conservative Association, Andy Drummond, said: “I’m looking forward to him eating a kangaroo’s penis. You can quote me on that.”

Hancock has said he wants to appear in the jungle to raise awareness of dyslexia and to show the human side of politicians. He will also be donating some money to a hospice in his constituency.

What even is trench foot and why does it affect Matt Hancock on I’m a Celeb?

Apparently trench foot can take up to six months to clear up, “so any water-based tasks or swimming trials would be bad news for his feet”, the source told The Sun. This could mean he could be medically exempt from some trials.

Trench foot is also known as immersion foot, and happens “when the feet are wet for long periods of time”, according to the American government’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There isn’t any NHS information available online about it.

Its name comes from the World War One trenches, where soldiers stood in wet and muddy conditions for long periods, and tens of thousands of soldiers were affected by it.

The CDC says symptoms can include tingling or itching, pain, swelling, and numbness. It says: “Blisters may form, followed by skin and tissue dying and falling off.” It is very treatable and usually clears in days if addressed, but can cause problems if untreated.

Featured image via YouTube

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