10 months on, back to work for drink-drive Ant
ANT McPartlin is set to return to work today, ten months after the drink-drive scandal that nearly ended his career.
The presenter will host ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent auditions in London with his TV partner Declan Donnelly.
McPartlin, 43, stepped away from his presenting roles – leaving Donnelly to front Saturday Night Takeaway alone – after his Mini careered on to the wrong side of the road and crashed into two other vehicles in March.
He was found to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit after the smash, which left two families fearing for their lives. McPartlin said he was ‘ashamed and mortified’ after he was fined a record £86,000 and banned from driv- ing for 20 months. Despite his absence from our screens, he and Donnelly have again been shortlisted for the best presenter National Television Award – which they have won for the past 17 years running.
The pair will go up against Bradley Walsh, Graham Norton, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. Awards presenter Dermot O’Leary, 45, joked about how hard it was to compete with Ant and Dec.
‘If they win it, having not been on television, we may as well just chuck in the towel,’ he said.
‘With the greatest respect to the boys, I think Holly has had such a great year, and Graham.’ Miss Willoughby has become the golden girl of TV after stepping in for McPartlin on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, giving the ITV reality show a ratings boost.
While it was on air in November McPartlin jetted off on holiday with his new girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett.
He began a relationship with his former personal assistant after splitting from wife of 11 years.
McPartlin was criticised for not turning up to their divorce hearing in November - instead walking his dog with his new lover.
The National Television Awards will be on ITV from 7.30pm on Tuesday.