Dec’s dilemma
» Star agonises over TV future without pal » Ant taken to brink by marriage collapse
DECLAN Donnelly is said to be stressed and facing “an impossible dilemma” over breaking a pact he made with best pal Ant McPartlin that they would not work solo.
The pair have been a double act since they met on the set of children’s TV show Byker Grove in 1990.
Dec, 42, was seen for the first time since Ant’s car smash yesterday looking glum as he walked with wife Ali Astall, 40, near their West London home.
He faces the prospect of hosting Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain’s Got Talent and I’m A Celeb without Ant as he heads back to rehab.
The options are lining up another co-host or him flying solo. But a more radical alternative for Dec is to face up to a year away from TV, as Ant is thought to be unlikely to return in 2018.
A source said: “Dec is stressed and it is a very difficult decision in terms of what he does next. They always said they would not work solo but now he has to think about not just their careers but hundreds of employees who work for them and ITV.
“It feels like an impossible dilemma for him and he doesn’t know what is the right answer.” Speaking in their 2010 autobiography, Ooh! What a Lovely Pair, the duo told of a pact to ensure they stayed a duo throughout their careers. Ant said: “We made an agreement – whatever happened, we’d be mates for ever and neither one of us would ever be on our own out there. If it all ended tomorrow, we’d still speak ever day, we’d still see each other all the time and we’d still be best mates. “And that’s something we’re both very proud of.” Agreeing with him, Dec added: “Throughout it all, we’ve always had one constant that’s kept us sane – each other. In two decades, we’ve never spent more than two weeks apart. “Some people might not understand it but our friendship is a massive, massive part of where we are today.” Earlier in this series of Saturday Night Takeaway, the pair celebrated its 100th episode and it remains one of ITV’s most popular shows. In 2016, Ant and Dec signed a threeyear “golden handcuffs” deal with ITV thought to be worth £30million.