Controversial British politician Nigel Farage was always going to create headlines with his arrival in the jungle for reality TV show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! The surprise is that what’s created the furore isn’t the expression of his political views in camp, but the coverage (televisual, not fig-leaf) of his on-screen nudity.
Farage arrived as the show’s most highly ever paid contestant – pocketing a cool £1.5million ($1.89m) for his participation.
Many viewers have boycotted this year as a result of his appearance. Farage, the leading figure of the UKIP political party, is firmly anti-immigration, and many on both sides of the country’s political divide believe Brexit wouldn’t have happened without him.
A week later, and despite a couple of semi-heated political discussions at the campfire, it is not this but the amount of flesh he has exposed that has caused uproar, with many viewers complaining on social media of “sights they can never un-see.”
The Sun newspaper reports that the broadcaster ITV has received a complaint from Farage’s team for showing him naked (from behind) in the shower, and for showing him in the bath (from the shoulders up). According to the newspaper, Farage’s aides have claimed there is an “indecency” clause in his contract, which ITV has breached.
ITV has confirmed receiving the complaint, but says there is nothing in the contract that would stipulate this.
Despite his hefty pay check, Farage claims he is on the show to demonstrate “the real him” to audiences. He was heard mid-week complaining that he hadn’t been selected for a gruesome bushtucker trial, which would have afforded him “25% more airtime.” Since the remark was broadcast, he hasn’t been selected for any further trials.
