COMEDIAN Nish Kumar has slammed ITV as “villains” after the station have allegedly paid Nigel Farage as much as £1.5m to star on this 12 months’s sequence of I’m a Celeb… Get Me Out of Right here!

Outstanding Brexiteer Farage famously campaigned for the UK to go away the European Union throughout his management of UKIP from 2010 to 2016 earlier than turning into chief of the Brexit Occasion from 2019 to 2021.

It was introduced final Monday that the 59-year-old has signed as much as the jungle on this 12 months’s survival actuality TV present, which started on Sunday.

Nonetheless, his look has since been slammed by comic Nish Kumar and journalist Coco Khan in an episode of the Pod Save the UK podcast yesterday, who aired their emotions on Farage.

When discussing their “villain of the week” with visitor James O’Brien, Nish proposes: “My alternative is ITV.

“They’ve allegedly paid £1.5m into the opportunistic, money-grabbing arms of Nigel Farage in alternate for him showing on I’m a Celeb… Get Me Out of Right here! following on from Matt Hancock.

“The explanation I’m selecting ITV [and] not Farage is as a result of as soon as once more, that is an instance of enabling and successfully fun-washing a deeply disagreeable, vile man who’s propagated a number of the most hard-right conspiracy theories.

“And I imply, for higher or worse, Nigel Farage in the end is essentially the most vital and influential politician of the final 15 years in British politics, possibly of this century of British politics.

“As a result of, he has primarily referred to as the tune that the Conservative Occasion has danced to due to their worry of him on the correct flank.

“And now the person who stood in entrance of a breaking level poster is now going right into a enjoyable actuality present the place he will get to eat bugs and current himself as being a relaxed, enjoyable man.”

Visitor and LBC radio presenter James O’Brien provides: “I puzzled a bit about Ant and Dec, truly, as a result of they’re not silly.”

“No,” agrees Nish.

O’Brien continues: “They’re not politically disengaged, and one presumes that they’d be as repulsed by parts of Farage’s schtick as all respectable persons are.

“I puzzled whether or not any of it might tarnish their status – however I believe not.”

The clip was posted to social media yesterday with the caption: “Our villain of the week is… ITV. Nish says the channel is fun-washing Nigel Farage’s status.”

The video has since acquired over 6,200 likes and greater than 250 feedback from customers left divided by the GB Information presenter’s look.

One person claimed: “100% he’ll win, majority of respectable folks agree with Nigel however don’t shout off just like the left-wing media. Come on Nigel… ITV scores will soar.”

One other commented: “These guys reside on a distinct planet.”

A 3rd stated: “It’s going to devastate folks when he wins.”

One other wrote: “‘Folks whose opinions I don’t agree with aren’t allowed on TV’.”

Nonetheless, a fifth replied: “Completely agree with every little thing you say, which is why I’m not watching anymore. To place these hateful folks in and pay that cash is shameful.”

While one other commented: “‘Enjoyable-washing’ is a superb description.”

Farage beat the earlier payout document held by ex-Deal or No Deal host Noel Edmonds who appeared on the present in 2018.

Edmonds was reportedly paid £600,000, however was solely within the jungle for 9 days, which means he was paid an eye-watering £66,667 per day.

Final 12 months, fellow politician and disgraced former Secretary of State for Well being and Social Care Matt Hancock entered the jungle after being paid a whopping £400,000 earlier than tax.