Declan Donnelly has spoken publicly for the first time about his silent health battle, revealing he suffers from 'constant anxiety' and a persistent feeling that he should always be doing something. The TV star admitted he 'can never sit down' and sought therapy around five or six years ago, which he found incredibly beneficial.
Donnelly made the revelation during an appearance on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, where he was joined by his long-time friend and co-host Anthony McPartlin. The duo, known as Ant and Dec, discussed fatherhood and their enduring careers. Donnelly confessed: 'I struggle a bit with, it's kind of a low level, constant anxiety about 'should be doing this' or 'I've got to be doing...' I never feel I can sit down and just watch telly, I always feel like I should be doing something else.'
He added: 'There's that anxiety that there's a job that needs to be done somewhere and I should be doing it. I struggle with that a lot, with trying to calm that voice in the back of your head.' Donnelly shared that after a break from therapy, when he tried to book another session, the therapist was unavailable but recommended someone else. He admitted he has yet to make an appointment.
The Geordie duo, who have fronted numerous primetime shows including Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain's Got Talent, also revealed they are launching their own podcast series, Hanging Out With Ant & Dec. Donnelly noted they take their roles 'incredibly seriously', aiming to entertain the whole family. McPartlin added: 'We do the best job in the world. We have a laugh every day. We've hosted some turkeys over the years. It's a privilege to be in someone's living room on a Saturday night.'
On fatherhood, McPartlin admitted he is often told off for swearing around his 19-month-old son. Donnelly revealed his seven-year-old daughter requests to watch I'm A Celebrity, but he hesitates due to its post-watershed timing. The pair recently apologised after a promo video for their podcast faced backlash for 'suicide imagery'.
