Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, the beloved presenters of Britain's Got Talent, were on the verge of quitting the show in 2012 due to mounting frustrations with Simon Cowell's chronic lateness and the perceived waste of their time.
According to their autobiography, Once Upon A Tyne, the duo were growing increasingly agitated by Cowell's poor timekeeping. They would often film interviews with contestants, eat, and still find that Cowell had not arrived. The tension escalated when they felt sidelined by the editing process, with many of their filmed scenes being cut from the final broadcast.
Ant and Dec, who were also preparing for the return of Saturday Night Takeaway, realised they could be using their time more productively. They informed ITV bosses of their intention to leave when their contract expired, prompting Cowell to arrange emergency talks in Los Angeles.
At the meeting in Ceconni's restaurant, West Hollywood, the presenters aired their grievances. Cowell, who arrived only a minute late, listened intently while smoking several cigarettes. He promised to make changes, and the duo agreed to stay for one more series to see if improvements were made.
Dec noted that Cowell kept his word, and the situation improved. After the meeting, Cowell offered them a lift back to their hotel in his Rolls-Royce, signalling a resolution to the dispute that had threatened the show's future.
