ANT AND CHEQUE
TV star still earning during rehab stint Last farewell for ‘super, smashing, great’ TV host Bowen
ON DOING ITV SHOW WITHOUT ANT
BULLSEYE host Jim Bowen has been laid to rest with an “incredibly moving” send-off.
The celebration of his life paid tribute to “a super, smashing, great husband, father, grandfather and friend, loved by millions”. Bowen died aged 80 on March 14. On Wednesday, as thousands packed Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral in farewell to Sir Ken Dodd, a private service for Bowen’s close family and friends was held at a crematorium.
The official Bullseye Facebook site said:
With Ant on show this month AS Declan Donnelly prepares to host his first ever show without his best mate this weekend, figures reveal just how much money the Ant and Dec business rakes in.
The ITV hosts made over €1million in profit from their joint venture companies last year, accounts signed off by Dec this week reveal.
On top of their ITV salaries of up to €11.4million between them, Ant Mcpartlin and Dec also earn via Hurley Promotions and Mitre Television.
Thought to be linked to the production of the duo’s shows, these firms give profits of €813,000 at Hurley and €393,000 at Mitre for the year ending June 30, 2017.
Hurley, named after Ant’s dog, was valued at €4.71million and Mitre, named after the pub in Byker Grove where they met, at €2.66million.
With Ant in rehab and facing a drinkdriving charge, Dec went to rehearsals for his solo stint on Saturday Night Takeaway “With permission from Jim’s wife Phyllis, we are able to announce Jim Bowen’s funeral took place this afternoon at Beetham Hall Crematorium, Milnthorpe, Cumbria.
“The celebration of Jim’s life was a heartwarming, loving and incredibly moving sendoff – a truly fitting service to say our farewells to a super, smashing, great husband, father, grandfather and friend, loved by millions.”
The former deputy head teacher began his stand-up career in the 1960s and first appeared yesterday. It is thought Ant is still being paid by ITV.
The accounts were signed off by Dec, 42, this week as Ant, also 42, was unable to attend business meetings.
Dec has also signed off on his other company Deecourt, which earns through “television programme production activities”. It showed profits of €5.1million.
Figures for Ant’s corresponding Teecourt were not available as it is thought he has not seen his accountants. Ant is due in court next Wednesday. He is expected to spend a few months in rehab, and could take up to a year off. Dec wrote on Twitter: “We’ve decided that the remaining two shows of this series of Saturday Night Takeaway will go ahead. “Everyone at ITV feels we owe it to the audience to complete the series.”
Ant’s spokesman said: “Ant has decided to go back into treatment and step down from his current TV commitments. He has asked for time off for the foreseeable future.”
We feel we owe it to the fans to complete the series of Takeaway DEC DONNELLY
Profits from Ant & Dec’s joint venture companies Hurley & Mitre last year
The annual salary, in millions, the presenting duo receive from ITV
on TV in The Comedians, alongside Bernard Manning, Stan Boardman and Mike Reid.
But he was best known for ITV’S Bullseye and went on to host more than 300 episodes for 14 years between 1981 and 1995.
Bowen, from Penrith, said: “I don’t regard myself as a star. I was never aware of how big I was until Bullseye hit the 19 million mark.”
He had three strokes and said: “The strokes weren’t nice but I’ve had more than my share of luck with a priceless marriage and family.”