Dec: I won’t leave Ant behind
GEORDIE TV favourite Declan Donnelly “would never” host popular ITV show I’m A Celebrity without Ant McPartlin, the star has reportedly told friends.
Dec, 41, is confident his sidekick will make a full recovery from prescription drug and drink problems as he is currently recovering in rehab.
Reports last weekend suggested Holly Willoughby could star alongside Dec in the jungle this year for ITV on their hit show .
But a close friend of the duo quashed the talk and told MirrorOnline: “Dec wouldn’t work on screen without Ant on any major show and he has said the last thing he would do is go to Australia without him.
“To say he would consider working with Holly was ridiculous.
“He is a good friend of hers but he would not do that to Ant.
“Ant and Dec are a team with a huge emotional bond, they are like brothers and Dec will only be hosting I’m A Celebrity with Ant by his side.
“They’ve got months yet to sort things out and the hope is that Ant will bounce back with another hit series of I’m A Celebrity and they will move on from this chapter in their career.”
Ant checked into rehab last month after he revealed his problems to wife Lisa and Dec.
He has been suffering chronic knee pain but after having an operation became hooked on the prescription drug Tramadol and also went on drink and drug binges.
Concerned ITV bosses have said Ant can take as much time as he needs.
However, were he not to recover in time their two options would be to draft in new presenters or put the show on hold for a year.