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Ant McPartlin

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Ant McPartlin
OBE
McPartlin in 2014
Born
Anthony David McPartlin

(1975-11-18) 18 November 1975 (age 48)
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • actor
  • former singer
  • rapper
  • comedian
Years active1987–present
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 2006; div. 2018)​

Anne-Marie Corbett
​
(m. 2021)​
Children1
Anthony McPartlin's voice
from the BBC programme Desert Island Discs, 29 December 2013.[1]
Signature

Anthony David McPartlin OBE (born 18 November 1975) is an English television presenter, former singer, rapper and actor. He is best known for working alongside Declan Donnelly as part of the presenting duo Ant & Dec.

McPartlin came to prominence, alongside Donnelly, in the children's drama series Byker Grove, with both of the boys establishing successful careers as television presenters, in which they presented SMTV Live (between 1998 and 2001), I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (2002–2024), and Britain's Got Talent (since 2007).

Other notable highlights of McPartlin's career alongside Donnelly include presenting PokerFace, Push the Button, Pop Idol, and Red or Black?, being hosts of charity appeal Text Santa (between 2011 and 2014), and also performing as pop music duo PJ & Duncan.

Career

[edit]
Main article: Ant & Dec
McPartlin at the 62nd British Academy Film Awards, April 2009[2]

McPartlin's first appearance on television was on the children's workshop programme Why Don't You?,[3] but his big break came when he rose to prominence playing the character of PJ in the CBBC series Byker Grove. It was during his time on the programme that he first met Declan Donnelly, who was cast in the part of Duncan. The pair formed a close friendship on the programme, both socially and professionally, with the men performing as their characters until their departure from the programme in 1993. During their tenure, the pair created a number of hit records under the label of "PJ & Duncan AKA", including the song "Tonight I'm Free" that had been performed on Byker Grove.[4]

From then onwards, McPartlin and Donnelly worked together on television, creating the presenting duo of Ant & Dec. Initially, the pair continued to work in children's television with the Saturday morning hit SMTV Live, before they eventually branched out into gameshows – Friends Like These, PokerFace and Push the Button – along with talent shows – Pop Idol, and Britain's Got Talent – and entertainment programmes – I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. The pair continued to maintain work in acting, starring in a tribute to The Likely Lads, in the form of a remake of an episode from the show's sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? entitled "No Hiding Place".[5] In 2006, McPartlin and Donnelly starred together in the film Alien Autopsy.

In 2007, it was discovered that two shows, Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which he co-presented with Donnelly, had defrauded viewers participating in phone-ins. The latter was produced by the pair's own production company.[citation needed]

In April 2009, Ant & Dec achieved wide international exposure when, as backstage commentators for Britain's Got Talent, they interviewed contestant Susan Boyle, whose audition would become the most-viewed YouTube video of the year and whose record album topped sales charts in dozens of countries.[citation needed]

Personal life

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On 22 July 2006, McPartlin married his longtime girlfriend, make-up artist Lisa Armstrong at Cliveden, a country house hotel in Buckinghamshire.[6] The couple were married for 11 years before eventually announcing on 15 January 2018 that they were divorcing.[7][8]

McPartlin was a fervent Labour Party supporter until the 2010 election, when he voted for the Conservative Party. In February 2013, he told The Guardian newspaper that he would struggle to justify voting for either political party in the future.[9]

In 2015, McPartlin went into hospital for an operation to treat his knee and was advised to take prescription drugs to combat pain after the surgery was botched. Over the course of the following two years, he slowly became addicted to codeine & prescription drugs (one of which being the opioid OxyContin[10]) along with alcohol, including use before television appearances.

In June 2017, he sought treatment for his addiction to prescription drugs and checked himself in for rehabilitation;[11] he was released two months later.

On 18 March 2018 McPartlin was involved in a road traffic collision in London, after which he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving. The following day, on 19 March, he met with Donnelly and ITV and suspended further presenting duties to return to rehab for further treatment.[12][13] On 16 April 2018, he was interviewed under caution and subsequently charged with drink-driving.[14] McPartlin pleaded guilty to the offence at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court the following month, and was banned from driving for 20 months[15] and fined £86,000, Britain's highest-ever penalty for drink-driving.[16] He had previously been banned from driving for 30 days and fined £350 for driving at 127 mph (204 km/h) on the A1(M) motorway.[17]

In August 2018 McPartlin announced he would be taking a break from television presenting duties until 2019, saying: "My recovery is going very well and for that to continue having spoken to Dec and ITV, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off."[18][19]

In January 2019, McPartlin returned to his television duties alongside Donnelly at the Britain's Got Talent auditions.[20]

On 7 August 2021, McPartlin married Anne-Marie Corbett, who was formerly his personal assistant, at St Michael's Church in Heckfield, Hampshire. They had been in a relationship since 2018.[21] On 14 May 2024, Corbett gave birth to a baby boy.[22]

Charity

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McPartlin and Donnelly are patrons of the charity Sunshine Fund. When their single "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble" reached No.1, Ant & Dec donated the single's success to the charity ChildLine. They also support the Text Santa appeal.

They opened the W4 Youth Centre in 2013.[23]

Earnings

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In 2002, Ant & Dec signed a two-year golden handcuffs deal with ITV, worth £2m.[24]

In 2004 they signed their third golden handcuffs deal with ITV, running until the end of 2007.[25]

In April 2007, the duo signed a two-year golden handcuffs deal with ITV, reportedly worth £30-40 million, securing their career at the station until the end of 2009.[26][27]

In 2009 they extended their golden handcuffs deal for two years.[28] In 2011 they extended their golden handcuffs deal for two years.[29]

In November 2016 the pair signed a new three-year deal with ITV, estimated to be worth £30 million over 3 years.[30]

Honours and awards

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McPartlin was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for his services to broadcasting and entertainment.[31]

The following listed below are the television awards that McPartlin has been nominated for or awarded with, primarily while working alongside Declan Donnelly as Ant & Dec:

National Television Awards

[edit]
Year Award Show
2001 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
2002 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme Pop Idol
Special Recognition Award
2003[37] Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Most Popular Reality Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2004 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
2005 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
2006[38] Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Quiz Programme Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon
2007 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Most Popular Reality Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2008[39] Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
2010 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
2011 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2012 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Reality Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2013 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2014 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Landmark Award
2015 Most Popular Entertainment Presenter
Most Popular Entertainment Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2016 Most Popular Entertainment Programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Most Popular TV Presenter
2017 Most Popular Entertainment Programme Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Most Popular TV Presenter
Challenge Show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2018 The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Most Popular TV Presenter
Challenge Show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
2019 The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Most Popular TV Presenter
2020 The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Most Popular TV Presenter
2021 The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Most Popular TV Presenter

Filmography

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Television

[edit]
Year Title Role
1990–1993, 2000 Byker Grove PJ
1994 Gimme 5 Guest presenter
1995–1997 The Ant & Dec Show Co-Presenter
The Big Breakfast Guest presenter
1997 Ant and Dec's Geordie Christmas[40] Co-Presenter
1998 Ant & Dec Unzipped
1998–2001 SMTV Live
CD:UK
1999–2001 Friends Like These
2001 Slap Bang with Ant & Dec
2001–2003 Pop Idol
2001, 2015–2016 BRIT Awards
2002 A Tribute to the Likely Lads Terry Collier
2002–2004 Engie Benjy Jollop and Trucker Troy (voice)
2002–2009, 2013–2018, 2020–2024 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Co-Presenter
2002–2017, 2019– I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
2005 Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon
2006 A History of Tyneside
2006–2007 PokerFace
2006, 2008 Soccer Aid
2007–present Britain's Got Talent
2008 Wanna Bet?
2009 Ant & Dec's Christmas Show
2010–2011 Ant & Dec's Push the Button
2011–2012 Red or Black?
2011–2014 Text Santa
2016 When Ant and Dec Met The Prince: 40 Years of The Prince's Trust
The Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration
2019 Britain's Got Talent: The Champions
Ant & Dec's DNA Journey Himself
2022– Limitless Win Co-Presenter

Film

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Year Title Role
2003 Love, Actually Himself
2006 Alien Autopsy Gary Shoefield
2013 One Chance Himself (archive footage)

Television advertisements

[edit]
Year Title Role
2000 Wispa Bite Himself
2001 Ambrosia Splat Himself, voice only
Woolworths Himself
2002 McDonald's Himself, voice only
2008 Sainsbury's Himself
2010–2011 Wii & Nintendo DS
2013–2015 Morrisons
2016–2018 Suzuki
2019–2020 Marks & Spencer
2019–present Santander UK

Apps

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References

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  1. ^ "Anthony McPartlin". Desert Island Discs. 29 December 2013. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ^ "BAFTA Television Awards 2009 – Outside arrivals (Anthony McPartlin)". Livingly Media, Inc. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Ant and Dec – those cheeky chappies | I'm A Celebrity... | stv.tv Programmes". Programmes.stv.tv. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  4. ^ Hattenstone, Simon (10 September 2005). "Interview: Simon Hattenstone meets Ant and Dec". The Guardian.
  5. ^ Gallagher, William (12 May 2002). "Ant and Dec's likeable lads". BBC News. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Entertainment – TV's Ant weds, with Dec best man". BBC. 22 July 2006.
  7. ^ "Ant McPartlin confirms divorce from wife Lisa Armstrong". BBC News. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Ant McPartlin granted divorce from Lisa Armstrong". BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Ant and Dec: just the two of us". The Guardian. 23 February 2013.
  10. ^ "Ant McPartlin leaves rehab, discusses secret two-year pain killer addiction". The Independent. 13 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Ant McPartlin checks into rehab after becoming addicted to prescription drugs". The Daily Telegraph. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Ant McPartlin goes back into treatment". BBC News. 19 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Ant McPartlin steps down from TV shows and seeks treatment". BBC News. 19 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Ant McPartlin charged with drink driving". BBC News. 21 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Ant McPartlin fined £86,000 for drink driving". BBC News. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  16. ^ Hattenstone, Simon (30 March 2019). "Ant and Dec reunited: 'I wanted to punch him and hug him at the same time'". The Guardian.
  17. ^ "TV star Ant banned from driving". BBC News. 1 November 2002. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  18. ^ Press Association (9 August 2018). "Ant McPartlin pulls out of I'm a Celebrity... as he continues recovery". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  19. ^ "Ant and Dec postpone 2019's Saturday Night Takeaway". BBC News. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  20. ^ "Ant McPartlin returns to work on BGT with Dec". BBC News. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  21. ^ "Ant McPartlin marries Anne-Marie Corbett at star-studded wedding". BBC News. 7 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Ant McPartlin and Anne-Marie Corbett welcome first child together, named Wilder". 14 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Ant & Dec Get Back on Home Turf – News – Official Ant & Dec". Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  24. ^ Deans, Jason (21 October 2002). "Ant and Dec sign two-year ITV deal". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  25. ^ Deans, Jason (24 September 2004). "Ant and Dec slip on ITV's golden handcuffs". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  26. ^ Gibson, Owen (18 April 2007). "Kings of Saturday night TV scoop £30m jackpot". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  27. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (17 April 2007). "Ant and Dec at ITV until 2009". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  28. ^ Deans, Jason (5 November 2009). "Ant and Dec sign two-year ITV deal". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  29. ^ Conlan, Tara (9 November 2011). "Ant and Dec extend 'golden handcuffs' deal with ITV". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  30. ^ Sweney, Mark (14 November 2016). "Ant and Dec sign £30m 'golden handcuffs' deal with ITV". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  31. ^ "No. 61608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B13.
  32. ^ "h2g2 – Ant and Dec – British Television Presenters". BBC. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  33. ^ "British Comedy Awards 2006: The Winners – TV News". Digital Spy. 13 December 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  34. ^ Television – News – British Comedy Awards 2006: The Winners. Digital Spy (13 December 2006). Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  35. ^ "Ant and Dec top children's awards". BBC News. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  36. ^ Ant and Dec's Award Surprise. Sky UK. 8 August 2009
  37. ^ "Ant and Dec win trio of TV awards". BBC News. 15 October 2002. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  38. ^ "National TV Awards 2006: Full winners list – TV News". Digital Spy. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  39. ^ "National Television Awards: The Winners – TV News". Digital Spy. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  40. ^ "Ant and Dec's Geordie Christmas (1997)". BFI. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016.

Notes

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