Ant report a ‘fabrication’
CLAIMS Ant McPartlin is making a ‘sudden’ return to Britain’s Got Talent due to Holly Willoughby’s success as his stand-in have been shot down by his management.
It was claimed the Geordie presenter found it “difficult” to watch the This Morning host replace him on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
But Ant’s spokesperson has now denied the report in the Daily Mail which claimed the presenter hadn’t been in touch with Simon Cowell’s entertainment company Syco to confirm he would be returning for the next series of BGT.
His rep said the report was a “complete fabrication” and insisted Ant, 43, was always going to return to BGT in January 2019 after a nine-month career break, according the Mirror Online.
“It is also a complete lie to say that Syco were not aware of Ant’s plans to return to BGT until recently. Senior staff at ITV and Syco were aware many months ago,” he said.
There had been questions over when the star would make his comeback after presenting partner Declan Donnelly confirmed they had postponed Saturday Night Takeaway until 2020.
Dec confirmed the duo would be presenting BGT together again when filming starts in the New Year.
“It’s back to normal for BGT fingers crossed it will be great,” he said.
Ant and Dec are expected to join judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams at the first audition on January 18.
An ITV source said: “Ant has been working with ITV bosses to get a date in the diary for his return. He’ll be back filming with Dec and Stephen Mulhern for BGT in mid-January - it’s sure to be an emotional reunion.”
It’s unknown if the presenter will be attending the National Television Awards on January 22, where several of his shows are expected to be nominated when the shortlist is revealed in the coming weeks. The pair announced they would not be filming Saturday Night Takeaway until 2020 back in August.
It’s been a difficult year for Ant, who has experienced the breakdown of his marriage to Lisa Armstrong and a conviction for drink driving.
In April, he was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after pleading guilty to driving under the influence following a collision with two other cars in March.