Ant and Dec tease retirement after historic National Television Awards win
The 2024 National Television Awards saw Ant and Dec nominated for the Best Presenter award alongside the likes of This Morning host Alison Hammond, Stacey Solomon, Bradley Walsh and Claudia Winkleman
TV favourites Ant Mc Partlin and Declan Donnelly have secured their 23rd consecutive win at the National Television Awards.
The popular duo reflected on how much their lives have changed over the years as they collected their 23rd TV presenter prize at the star-studded bash inside the O2 Arena, with The Chase host Bradley Walsh jokingly trying to take the award off them as they made their way on stage.
"Sit down Bradley, sit down!" Dec joked as his ITV colleague jested about the pair winning the honour once again. Collecting the award, Dec said: "Thank you – it’s really hard to put into words just how this feels and what it means to us that you take the time to vote for us." Ant described the gong as a "joy" and joked that one day they will not collect it, but tonight was not the night.
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He then said: "What can we say? Thank you so much. It's really, really hard to put into words just how this feels year after year and how much it means to us that you take the time to vote for us and make us your winners." Ant added: "Honestly, it's a joy, we know we're not gonna win it one year but it's not tonight, thank God. But thank you to everybody who works with us on our shows, we love you, we wouldn't be here without you guys."
The pair then paid tribute to their wives and families, with Dec revealing he was carrying a good luck charm from his daughter. Ant appeared to hint at an upcoming career break as he said: "Thank you to our beautiful wives and lovely supportive families, sorry we work so much but we've got some time off now."
Dec added: "Thank you to our families in the Toon." As Ant then jokingly thanked Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, Dec said: "Our lives have changed so unbelievably since we won these awards, over the last six years recently as we've got very small children.
"It used to be we'd be going out partying and now we're going back to dirty nappies and the school run tomorrow. My girl Isla is six now, she left for school this morning and said 'Good luck, I hope you win the trophy'. In fact, she said, 'Take my lip balm, I think it'll be good luck'." Pulling the tube of lip balm out of his pocket, he exclaimed: "Isla, it worked! We won!"
As they collected their 22nd NTA last year, Ant and Dec called themselves "the luckiest men on TV" following their triumph. After scooping up the TV Presenter award once again in September 2023, the dynamic duo couldn't hide their joy, with Ant humorously wiping his brow in a mock display of relief as they took to the stage.
At The O2 London, whilst hoisting the esteemed trophy, Ant - who has since welcomed his first child into the world - expressed how they indeed feel like the "luckiest two men on telly" expressing gratitude towards the NTAs, ITV, and their ever-supportive fanbase. Meanwhile, Dec, who struck up a lifelong friendship with Ant at the tender age of 13 during their time on Byker Grove, confessed that he could feel his heart pounding out of excitement and nerves. He shared: "We are as humbled and grateful tonight as we were when we won it for the first time."
Ant didn't hold back his promise to their fans, assuring that they would keep lighting up the small screen "as long as you want us to". Offstage, the pair dished out on what's underpinning their enduring success: Ant attributed it to their bond, saying, "We met at 13 and we have grown like friends do. We're friends first and foremost and the TV comes after that. So I think that's at the heart of it, you know you're watching friends. We know what makes each other laugh, what annoys each other and yeah we love each other."
Having started their journey in showbiz as young actors in the BBC's Byker Grove, these Geordie lads have been practically inseparable from day one. They forged a pop career as PJ and Duncan, gave the world the unforgettable chant of Let's Get Ready to Rumble, became the faces of SMTV and secured an exclusive deal with ITV that confirmed them as two of the network's gems.
Despite their incredible success, the dynamic duo faced a severe challenge in 2018. The mates, who once lived side by side, were forced to confront their issues after a fateful incident on Sunday, March 18, 2018, led them to pause their partnership. On that day, Ant was involved in a drink-driving incident in west London, which resulted in a young girl needing medical attention. The TV star immediately took a step back from his presenting duties and sought help for "alcohol and emotional" issues at rehab for the second time.
Dec was blindsided by Ant's struggles; he was so taken aback by the news of the crash that he found it hard to accept. "It felt like a nightmare, that there'd been a mistake. 'Of course he didn't do that,'" he recounted. The day after the accident, the two had a candid conversation where Ant owned up to his actions before they met with ITV executives to discuss their future.
Dec shared with the Guardian: "We had a heart-to-heart. I said, 'Look, forget everything TV, the partnership you've just got to go and get well.' I think I said I'd give everything up if he could just be happy again."
However, emotions ran high as Dec confessed: "I wanted to punch him and hug him at the same time and I didn't know which one I wanted to do first." Luckily, the duo made amends and Ant returned to co-hosting award-winning shows with his mate, including Saturday Night Take Away and I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Ant became a father for the first time earlier this year when he and wife Anne-Marie Corbett welcomed baby son Wilder Patrick McPartlin into the world. Ant and Anne tied the knot in 2021 and the Britain's Got Talent presenter is stepfather to Anne-Marie's two daughter's from a past marriage. Ant was previously in a relationship with Lisa Armstrong for 23 years before the former couple ended their 11-year marriage in 2018.
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