Television personality Joel Dommett has disclosed the surprising story behind his permanent tribute to presenting duo Ant and Dec, which left the stars themselves somewhat unsettled.
The Unusual Ink
In a candid new podcast interview, the Masked Singer host explained that he has "Ant & Dec" tattooed on his ankles. The 40-year-old, who rose to fame on ITV's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and later hosted its spin-off show Extra Camp, described the impulsive decision.
A Moment of Inspiration
"I was walking past the tattoo studio and was like, wouldn't it be funny if I just got a tattoo of Ant and Dec?" Dommett told presenter Harriet Rose on her podcast By The Way… with Harriet Rose. "Got it done. And they were just a little freaked out by it, I think."
When asked by Rose whether one presenter was less disturbed than the other, or if they were "both just equally sort of restraining order," Dommett elaborated on his characteristic approach to commitments.
A Pattern of Commitment
"What are you doing? What are you doing?" Dommett recalled their reaction. "You know, it's really funny in my mind. This happens a lot with me. I really commit to the things. And then the level of commitment freaks everyone else out."
The conversation expanded beyond the tattoos to Dommett's prolific television career, which currently includes hosting The Masked Singer alongside numerous other projects.
Balancing Multiple Roles
Questioned about how he manages his demanding schedule, Dommett admitted: "I don't know whether I'm balancing it well or not really. And I try my best just to enjoy everything that I do and try and do everything to the best of my ability and have fun with it."
He reflected on the unpredictable nature of public perception in today's fragmented media landscape. "You just never really know what is the thing that's a step too far for me and for everyone else," he said. "It can be the weirdest job where suddenly that job is everywhere and everyone's seeing it and then everyone's like, 'you're everywhere'. And you're like, 'well, I have kind of been doing the same amount of stuff for the last three years'. It's just suddenly there's one thing that's become bigger."
The Modern Media Challenge
Dommett suggested that contemporary audiences consume such varied content that performers naturally need to maintain a higher profile. "I think people watch so many different types of media now that you do have to do more by its nature to sort of get too annoying to people," he observed. "I hope I'm not annoying."
Despite the pressures, Dommett expressed genuine enthusiasm for his work. "I find it really hard because I really love working. And I really love the challenge of things when they come in and they don't feel quite right for me. I love the challenge of making it right for me. And I love that challenge, I think, but sometimes I should just say no, really. But I find it really difficult to, because I just think it's a real privilege to be asked."
The full interview is available on By The Way… with Harriet Rose, accessible across major podcast platforms and YouTube.
