Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP paid �3,000 to appear in Channel 4 reality TV show

Diane Abbott did not win any votes for her cooking ability when she appeared in Channel 4’s reality TV show ‘Come Dine With Me’ yesterday evening (January 10).

The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington received a fee of �3,000 for spending 36 hours filming the competition, according to website TheyWorkForYou.com.

She went up against radio and TV presenter Terry Christian, ballet dancer Wayne Sleep and glamour model Danielle Lloyd in a bid to win �1,000 for a charity of her choice.

But her menu of smoked marlin with saltfish and akee followed by Jerk chicken with rice and pea and warm fruit crumble instead of her planned tropical fruit mousse failed to impress at her home in Queensbridge Road.

Instead she plied her guests with super-strong pink rum punch in the hope they would forget about the food.

“I found it very challenging because I am not an experienced cook,” she told the Gazette.

“I rarely cook anything elaborate and I never give formal dinner parties. I think the last formal dinner party that I gave was over twenty years ago.”

Politicians including Edwina Currie and Lembik Opik have previously appeared on the show but Diane is the first serving MP to take part.

Stoke Newington columnist Suzanne Moore, who stood against the her in the parliamentary elections last May, said: “I guess Diane does as she pleases.

“She can go no further in politics so reality shows are her future.

“It did wonders for George Galloway. I can’t wait for Diane on Strictly.”

She added that she would have liked to see the shadow health minister donate her fee to a Hackney charity.

Diane said: “I normally avoid reality TV.

“I eventually agreed to do it because I am a fan of the show.

“I have declared my earnings from the show in the usual way. If I had won, my winnings would have gone to charity.

“I would never have done the show if it took time away from my work in parliament or representing my constituents.

“It had to be especially arranged so that the filming took place over two weekends and therefore did not impinge on my normal working week.”

Andrew Boff, London Assembly member and a former Hackney councillor and Conservative mayoral candidate, gave his support to politicians appearing on reality TV shows.

“I haven’t got a problem with it. The personality side of politics is becoming ever more important,” he said.