Declan Donnelly has opened up about his close friend and presenting partner Ant McPartlin's personal journey, stating he has emerged from a difficult period as a "much better person." The comments come in the wake of McPartlin's 2018 drink-driving conviction, which resulted in a record-breaking fine and threatened to derail his career.
The 2018 Crash and Its Aftermath
Ant McPartlin's career appeared to hang in the balance in March 2018 when he was arrested for drink-driving near his London home in Richmond. The incident saw his black Mini Cooper collide with two other vehicles, including a BMW driven by Dr Audrey Ng. A child passenger in one of the cars required hospital treatment.
Witnesses described a scene of confusion, with airbags deployed and horns blaring. McPartlin, who was twice the legal alcohol limit, was later handed a record £86,000 fine, believed to be the highest ever issued by a British court for the offence. The crash occurred during a tumultuous year for the star, who had already entered treatment for painkiller addiction and separated from his wife, Lisa Armstrong.
A Path to Recovery and Reflection
In a new interview with The Times, Donnelly expressed profound admiration for how his friend confronted his challenges. "What I most admire is that with the challenges he's faced, especially over the last few years, Ant took responsibility and real action," Dec said. "He worked on himself so much to get back not just to being himself but actually being a much better person than he was before."
McPartlin himself reflected on turning 50, contrasting it with his troubled early forties. "Turning 50 for me was great because my early forties was a really tough time," he said. "These last few years, it's the happiest I've been in a long, long time."
Podcast Promotion Backlash
The interview emerges alongside controversy for the duo's recent promotional activity for their new podcast, 'Hanging Out With Ant and Dec'. A social media video they posted, which featured an image of feet and trouser legs dangling above the ground, was swiftly removed after being criticised as "insensitive" and "triggering," with many drawing a connection to suicide imagery.
Mental health advocate and former X Factor contestant Katie Waissel was among those who condemned the clip, calling it "sickening" and "deeply disappointing." Representatives for Ant and Dec apologised, stating: "We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video and we are sorry if it has upset anyone. We have taken on board the comments and have deleted the video."
Despite the recent misstep, the Geordie duo's position at ITV remains secure, having recently signed a new £30 million deal to keep them on screen until at least 2028. They continue to front major shows like I'm A Celebrity... and Britain's Got Talent.
