Lisa’s relief as Ant’s comeback takes a battering
As Ant McPartlin’s return to I’m A Celeb! coincides with the loss of over 5 million viewers, his ex Lisa Armstrong is said to feel the tide is turning in her favour...
His return to the jungle was supposed to mark a triumphant return after sensationally pulling out of last year’s show, following a shock drink-driving arrest and stint in rehab – which left his 25-year career hanging by a thread.
But it seems Ant McPartlin’s fall from grace is still troubling him. The TV host has been slammed by I’m A Celeb! fans after rejoining comedy partner Declan Donnelly, 44, for the latest series of the ITV reality show.
Shock ratings have revealed this series lost half its initial viewers, dropping from the 10.6m who tuned into the opening episode to 5.4m by the second week.
Critics were quick to point the finger of blame at Ant, also 44, for the drop, following revelations of his alcohol and prescription pills addiction in 2017, as well as the ongoing bitter divorce battle with his ex Lisa Armstrong, 43. One unforgiving critic commented on social media, “He’s a drink driver. If he didn’t have his TV status, he would be despised in society.” Another added, “Hope the views for this show keep plummeting. Then maybe ITV will realise that McPartlin should not have got his job back.”
And pals say that although make-up artist Lisa – who has received a huge amount of support from sympathetic fans, especially in the wake of
Ant’s romance with his former PA and her pal, Anne-Marie Corbett, 43 – doesn’t want his career to fail, she’s almost relieved his I’m A Celeb! comeback has “taken a battering”.
A source says, “Lisa has had a lot to cope with since their break-up, and she always felt it was unfair that he was able to move on so quickly and with his reputation intact.
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“The reaction to his return to I’m A Celeb! has come as a bit of a relief to her. She feels that, after everything she has been through, it’s only fair that he’s not been able to come out of this with his career completely unscathed. In a way, she’s glad the shine has come off his cheeky-chappy image.”
The estranged pair are due to face each other in court early next year to settle their £62 million divorce, after talks broke down over the summer when Lisa refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement or reach a custody settlement over their pet Labrador, Hurley.