ANT IN THE DOGHOUSE
Dec drops pup at star ’s bolthole away fr om wife
ANT McPartlin has returned from the I’m A Celeb jungle to his rented home – and let his best friend collect his dog from his wife instead of dropping in to get it himself.
Ant, 42 – who has battled addiction problems – was seen arriving at the bolthole yesterday a few streets away from his £6m marital home.
The star’s l abrador Hurley – shared with wife Lisa Armstrong – had been their main point of contact as they battle to save their 23-year relationship.
But on Saturday it was Ant’s TV sidekick and best pal Dec who dropped the dog off.
An onlooker said: “Dec has been acting as go-between and has been helping Ant a lot. He brought Hurley round to the house for Ant as he settles in to his new place.
“Normally Ant goes to pick up the dog himself but this time he didn’t.”
Ant looked glum on Friday as he left the house. But he enjoyed a night out with Dec before returning to the £1.6million four-bed house yesterday.
Workmen later delivered a new double mattress to the house. Nikki Wheeler – married to Ant’s TV presenter pal Jonathan Wilkes – also paid him a visit while make-up artist Lisa prepared for the final of Strictly Come Dancing.
Nikki was also seen giving Ant a farewell hug before he flew to Australia to film the ITV jungle series last month.
Lisa and Ant met in 1994 on a Smash Hits tour in Newcastle.
Ant was 18 and one half of music act PJ and Duncan – with Dec. Lisa was 17 and part of the band Deuce.
They dated for 11 years before Ant proposed in Dubai in April 2005. They married a year later at a country church in Taplow, Bucks, with Dec as best man. Ant – made an OBE in January for services to broadcasting– spoke openly about his addiction battle in June and revealed he had been diagnosed with clinical depression.
Ant admitted becoming hooked on booze and a cocktail of drugs including tramadol, morphine, diazepam and codeine after painful knee surgery went wrong.
He realised he needed help when he had to be rushed to hospital after begging Lisa to call an ambulance.
Ant said: “I was at the point where anything – prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs – I would take.
“And take them with alcohol, which is ridiculous. The doctors told me, ‘You
could have killed yourself’.”