Anthony David McPartlin (born 18 November 1975) is an English television presenter, television producer, comedian, 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

McPartlin's first appearance on television was on the children's workshop programme Why Don't You?, 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.

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". 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.

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.

Personal life

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

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.

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 alcohol, codeine and prescription drugs, including opioid OxyContin, including use before television appearances. In June 2017, he sought treatment for his addiction to prescription drugs and checked himself in for rehabilitation; 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. On 16 April 2018, he was interviewed under caution and subsequently charged with drink-driving. McPartlin pleaded guilty to the offence at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court the following month, and was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £86,000, believed to be Britain's highest-ever penalty for drink-driving at the time. He had previously been banned from driving for 30 days and fined £350 for driving at on the A1(M) motorway in 2002.

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."

In January 2019, McPartlin returned to his television duties alongside Donnelly at the Britain's Got Talent auditions. The same month, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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. The couple live in Wimbledon, London. On 14 May 2024, Corbett gave birth to a baby boy.

Charity

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.

Earnings

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

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

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

In 2009, they extended their golden handcuffs deal for two years. In 2011, they extended their golden handcuffs deal for two years.

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

Honours and awards

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.

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:

1994

• Brit Award Nomination – Best Song: "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble"

1995

• Brit Award Nomination – British Breakthrough

• Royal Television Society Awards- The Ant and Dec Show

1996

• British Academy Children's Awards: Children's Entertainment Show (The Ant and Dec Show)

1997

• Nominated – British Academy Children's Awards: Children's Entertainment Show (The Ant and Dec Show)

1998

• British Academy Children's Awards: Children's Entertainment Show (Ant and Dec Unzipped)

2000

• British Academy Children's Awards: Children's Entertainment Show (SMTV Live)

• TV Choice Awards: Best Children's Show (SMTV Live)

• Royal Television Society Awards: Best Children's Entertainment Programme (SMTV Live)

• TV Hits Awards: Best Teen Show (CD:UK)

• Loaded Carling Good Work Fellas Awards: Best Double Act

• British Comedy Awards: The People's Choice (SMTV Live)

2001

• TV Choice Awards: Best Children's Show (SMTV Live)

• Broadcast Awards: Best Children's Programme (SMTV Live)

• Royal Television Society Awards : Best Television Presenters

• Disney Channel Awards: Kids Awards (The Ant and Dec Show)

• Nominated – British Academy Children's Awards: Best Children's Entertainment Show (SMTV Live)

2002

• Nominated – British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (Pop Idol)

• British Academy Children's Awards: Children's Entertainment Show (SMTV Live)

2005

• Nominated – British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

2006

• British Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Entertainment Personality

• British Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Entertainment Programme

2007

• Nominated – British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

2008

• TV Quick & TV Choice Awards: Best Entertainment Show (Saturday Night Takeaway)

• Nickelodeon UK Kids Choice Awards 2008: Favourite Funny Person, Best TV presenters and Best Family TV show (Britain's Got Talent)

2009

• TV Quick & TV Choice Awards: Best Entertainment Show (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

• TV Quick & TV Choice Awards:Outstanding Contribution Award

• Nominated – British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

2010

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Britain's Got Talent)

2012

• Freesat: Best TV Presenter(s)

2013

• TRIC Awards: TV Personality of the Year

• TRIC Awards: TRIC Special Award (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

• RTS Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

• Nominated – British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

2014

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

2015

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

2017

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

• British Academy Television Awards: Live Event (The Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration)

2018

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Britain's Got Talent)

2019

• Guinness World Records: Most NTA wins for Best Presenter won consecutively

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Britain's Got Talent)

National Television Awards

Filmography

Television

Film

Television advertisements

Apps

• An official Saturday Night Takeaway app known as Studio Rush launched on 30 January 2013.

References

Bibliography

External links

• Official Ant & Dec Website