Somebody sends you a clip a guy in the jungle, or hosting some talent show finale and you go: wait, who’s this? That’s usually how Americans first run into Ant McPartlin. Back home in the UK, he needs zero introduction; the guy’s practically furniture on British TV at this point. Over here though, not so much. So let’s close that gap a bit.
The Short Version of Who He Is
Ant McPartlin presents TV for a living, and he’s done nearly all of it alongside one person Declan Donnelly, his other half in the duo everyone calls Ant and Dec. They met as kids, started working together as teenagers, and somehow that partnership never really cracked, not once in all these years. You can still see it on screen, decades later. In 2016, the UK gave him an OBE basically a formal nod for years of contribution to broadcasting, and honestly, well earned.
Building a Career Alongside Dec
Before Any of the TV Shows
Not many people realize this started on a teen drama, of all things. Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly first crossed paths on a show called Byker Grove, playing teenage characters long before either of them ever touched a hosting mic. Looking back now, it’s a genuinely odd origin story for two guys who’d go on to dominate Saturday night television.
Then Came the Jungle
Ask around and most people know Ant McPartlin from I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, the show where minor celebrities eat bugs and scream in the Australian jungle for a shot at a crown. He and Dec have run that show together for ages, and the banter between the two of them is arguably the real draw, more than the challenges themselves. Add Britain’s Got Talent and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway to the list, and you’ve got the three pillars that built his career.
His Life Outside the Studio
A Second Marriage in 2021
He married Anne-Marie Corbett in 2021 she used to be his personal assistant, before things turned into something more. It was a small wedding at St Michael Church, nothing over the top. These days he’s a stepfather to her two daughters, and from what he’s said in interviews, that role seems to fit him well. Quieter life than what came before, by a long shot.
The Part He Doesn’t Skip Over
No fair account of Ant McPartlin leaves out the difficult chapter addiction, rehab, and the collapse of his first marriage, all within a rough stretch a few years back. What stands out, though, is that he hasn’t buried it. He talks about that period fairly openly now, which honestly isn’t something every celebrity in his position chooses to do. It’s probably one reason the public never really turned on him.
Recent News Worth Knowing
A Move Out of the City
Not long ago, he and his wife left their home in Wimbledon for a gated house in Surrey, trading city noise for more room to breathe. On his podcast, he half-jokingly blamed part of the decision on abandoned rental bikes constantly showing up outside his old front gate a small, oddly human detail that made headlines anyway.
What the Podcast Reveals
Alongside the TV work, Ant McPartlin now co-hosts a podcast with Dec, and honestly, it plays very differently than anything scripted. No production polish, no editing tricks just two friends talking the way they’ve probably always talked off camera. For anyone curious about the person behind the presenter, that’s where it comes through clearest, by far.
FAQs
Who is Ant McPartlin’s TV partner?
Declan Donnelly together, Ant and Dec.
What shows is Ant McPartlin known for?
I’m A Celebrity, Britain’s Got Talent, and Saturday Night Takeaway.
Is Ant McPartlin married?
Yes, to Anne-Marie Corbett since 2021.
Did Ant McPartlin receive any honors?
An OBE, awarded in 2016.
Where does Ant McPartlin live now?
He moved from Wimbledon to a home in Surrey.
