Following Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly bringing Saturday Night Takeaway to an end in order to spend more time with their children, we take a look at the ITV presenter’s family life
Saturday Night Takeaway returns to our screens once again this evening, ahead of hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly retiring the ITV show in order to spend more time with their loved ones.
Ant and Dec, both 48, have hosted Saturday Night Takeaway since 2002, but the latest series will the final offering from the Geordie duo for the foreseeable future. “We love making Saturday Night Takeaway, but reaching the milestone of 20 series seemed like the perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath,” Ant admitted when announcing the shock news last year.
Speaking earlier this week, Ant spoke further about the reason for calling time on the popular series. “On a more personal level, part of the reason we’re pausing Takeaway is we need a break ourselves, and we need to spend some time with our family,” the TV star admitted. He added to Fault magazine : “We’ve both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit. We need time to think and, and time to step back and look at the bigger picture and just see where we are now.”
Anne-Marie Corbett and Ant McPartlin tied the knot in 2021, after striking up a romance in 2018 ( Image: WireImage)
Ant shares two stepchildren with his wife Anne-Marie Corbett, after tying the knot with his former PA in 2021. However, Ant and Anne-Marie’s love story hasn’t always been smooth sailing. The Britain’s Got Talent presenter split from his former wife Lisa Armstrong in 2018. Just six months later, he was happily in a relationship with his ex-PA Annie, 45. This sparked a lot of gossip, but Ant insisted there was no betrayal involved.
“I don’t feel the need to defend Anne-Marie but I will say you’ve got to be careful judging other people’s relationships or what you think is the truth that’s been put out there,” Ant previously told The Sun. Friends close to Ant made it clear that Anne-Marie played no part in his split from his ex-wife Lisa, and likewise, Ant wasn’t involved in the end of Anne-Marie’s previous marriage.
Ant McPartlin is a very proud stepfather to his wife’s teenage children ( Image: Getty Images)
Anne-Marie, who used to be Ant’s PA, has two daughters from her old marriage to businessman Scott Corbett. They split up in 2017, and now Ant is their step-dad. Talking to The Telegraph previously, Ant shared how he feels about being a step-dad as he and Dec started a new media course for young people without many chances, working with The Prince’s Trust.
“I’ve got two step-daughters, 13 and 15 and they are more socially aware at that age than I was in my mid-20s,” Ant said. “Than I still am.” He added: “It’s not going to be our generation that saves the world. Look at Greta Thunberg, single-handedly almost making the world aware of climate change. It’s that kind of energy that this generation has got and they’ll save the rest of us. We’re just trying to make it easier for them.”
Ant and Anne-Marie live with her child in a swanky £6 million house, with the property boasting lots of bedrooms, a cinema, an orangery, a huge kitchen and dining area. The couple moved into the plush home in 2019, with a source telling The Sun that the house is just right for them.
“It has everything they want and marks an important milestone in their relationship together.” They expressed: “It’s not been easy to get here but they both view this house as a new start. It’s had lot of work done since they bought it and is now ready for them to move in to next month.”
Ant and Anne-Marie tied the knot in 2021 with many of their celebrity friends watching on ( Image: PA)
The TV star’s best pal Dec was best man for Ant once again ( Image: GC Images)
Ant and Anne-Marie tied the knot in August 2021 in a sleepy Hampshire village called Heckfield. They were thinking of having their special day abroad, but coronavirus restrictions put an end to those plans. Outside St Michael’s Church in Heckfield on 7 August, the newlyweds looked really loved up as they posed for onlookers. Anne-Marie looked amazing in her white wedding dress while holding a bouquet of purple and white flowers.
Ant looked dashing in black tie, with best man Dec matching him as they stood in their normal TV positions for photos. Guests included Frank Lampard and wife Christine, Cat Deeley and husband Patrick Kielty, Dermot O’Leary and partner Dee Koppang, and Alesha Dixon with her partner.
None of the guests knew where the wedding would be until the big day arrived, as the couple wanted to keep their ceremony spot a secret. After a wonderful Church of England service, everyone moved on to Heckfield Place for a party in a massive tent. Rev’d Canon Dr Marion de Quidt, who officiated the wedding, was thrilled to be involved. Chatting before the ceremony, she told the Daily Star: “I’m looking forward to sharing in their joy, and I’m looking forward to the blessings for their future. That’s all I can say right now, but God bless, it’s going to be a wonderful time.”
