Ant hit with record £86k fine over drink driving charge
● TV host admits to being ‘mortified’ after being given 20-month ban
TV presenter Ant Mcpartlin has been ordered to pay what is believed to be Britain’s biggest ever drink-driving fine as he admitted to being “ashamed and mortified” of his actions.
The 42-year-old, who earns £130,000 a week, was yesterday banned from driving for 20 months and received a £86,000 fine after pleading guilty to driving while more than twice the legal limit.
The court heard Mcpartlin had been seeking help for “alcohol and emotional issues” at the time of crashing his car in Richmond in west London on 18 March. His mother was in the passenger seat at the time of the crash.
Prosecutor Katie Sinnettjones told Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court yesterday the incident happened about 3:50pm when Mcpartlin drove his Mini around a “sharp bend and lost control”, then ended up on the wrong side of the road.
He collided with another Mini Cooper before driving “straight into the front of an oncoming car”.
The court heard the driver of the other Mini said afterwards he thought he and his family were going to die in the collision.
In a statement read by Ms Sinnett-jones, he said: “Myself and my family were in deep shock as we believed we could have died as a result of Mr Mcpartlin’s reckless driving.”
Mcpartlin stood in the glass dock in court to confirm his name, date of birth, address and nationality. He then pled guilty to driving with 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Mcpartlin’s barrister Liam Walker told the district judge the incident was down to “a brief relapse unbeknownst to his passenger”. “Anthony Mcpartlin is sorry and is doing everything he can to ensure this never happens again,” Mr Walker said.
“He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly.” Outside court, Mcpartlin read a statement saying: “I am very sorry I did this. I am ashamed and mortified that this happened.”
After Mcpartlin was charged, ITV announced the Saturday Night Takeaway host would step back from his TV commitments.
Mcpartlin appeared alongside co-presenter Declan Donnelly on TV screens over the weekend as Britain’s Got Talent aired its pre-recorded audition shows. But ITV confirmed Donnelly will be hosting the live shows without his TV partner of almost 30 years.