by David Osele
23 November 2010
ITV staff have got themselves into hot water for allegedly making fun of former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik’s appearance.
Comedian Russell Kane, a member of the presenting team for ITV’s phenomenally popular I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here! in which Mr Opik is a camp-mate, has apparently started referring to the politician as ‘Mr Kidney Bean Face,’ apparently unaware that the distinctive curvature of the 45-year-old’s face is due to a violent paragliding accident in 1998 which left him with a broken jaw and six missing teeth, as well as a back broken in no fewer than twelve places.
A friend of Mr Opik’s told the Mirror:
"If the show's producers don't know about the accident, they should have done their homework. If they do, it's in shockingly bad taste."
Kane and co-presenter Caroline Flack have encouraged children to send in photos imitating Mr Opik’s facial expressions and have even made up a song about him.
Mr Opik is one of thirteen celebrities currently camping out in the Australian jungle, joining a list of former participants that includes Katie Price, Tony Blackburn and Esther Rantzen.