0/5

UK presenter Ant McPartlin taking rest of year off

Declan Donnelly will be without his sidekick when he films UK's I'm a Celebrity series in Australia.

British personality Ant McPartlin (pictured left) will not present I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! alongside Declan Donnelly this year after dropping out of Saturday Night Takeaway and entering rehabilitation.

In April he was fined £86,000 ($A158,000) and disqualified from driving for 20 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving for a collision which resulted in injuries to other passengers.

In a statement he said, “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. I’d like to thank both Dec and ITV for their continued support and I look forward to getting back to work in the new year.”

Donnelly added: “Whilst I am obviously sad at the thought of being without my best friend in Australia this year, I am proud of the work Ant has been doing privately and I am fully supportive of his decision. I’m looking forward to us both being reunited on screen in 2019.”

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway is to also be rested, to resume in 2020.

ITV Director of Television Kevin Lygo said: “ITV is completely supportive of Ant taking as much time as he needs in his recovery and of this mutual decision to rest Takeaway in 2019. Ant is clearly making good progress and we wish him all the very best and look forward to him returning to ITV next year. An announcement on I’m A Celebrity plans will be made in due course.”

Britain’s Got Talent, which airs in Australia on Nine, also saw Declan Donnelly hosting solo this season.

Leave a Reply