Ant McPartlin — things you didn't know about the I'm A Celebrity host

Ant McPartlin has become one of the best-loved TV presenters on the box thanks to a string of hit shows like I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Take Away.

Fans of all ages love his warm sense of humour and mischievous sense of fun that he shares with his best mate and presenting pal Declan Donnelly, a friendship that has endured for over three decades in the spotlight.

But here are a few things you might not know about the star...

1. Ant's first big break was also where he met his best mate.

Born in Newcastle, Ant's first big TV break was in the CBBC show Byker Grove. Set in a youth club in the Byker district of Newcastle, the show ran from 1989 to 2006. Ant played the role of PJ for three years from 1990 and also met his soon to be best mate Declan Donnelly, who played Duncan.

The show also launched the careers of many other household names including Jill Halfpenny, Donna Air, and Emmerdale actor Charlie Hardwick.

2. Ant's had a NO. 1 single. 

A whopping 19 years after it was originally released, Ant and Dec secured the No. 1 slot in the charts in March 2013 with their PJ & Duncan single Let's get Ready to Rhumble.

Originally released in 1994 it was the third single from their first studio album called Psyche. It made the top ten at the time, but nearly two decades later, when the pair performed it on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway for charity Childline, the nation went crazy for its catchy tune and natty dance moves once again. 

At the end of last month the pair released a video on their Instagram (see above) of them reviving the classic pop anthem for the start of the new series of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Take Away, which starts soon on ITV.

3. Ant and Dec are world record breakers.

In 2019 Ant and Dec were awarded a Guinness World Record for most consecutive National TV Awards wins. At the time they had won 18 in a row, but broke their own record in 2020 when they bagged the Best TV Presenter once more. 

In total the pair have won 39 NTA's. Not bad for a couple of lads from Newcastle!

4. Ant proposed on Christmas Eve.

Ant got down on one knee on Christmas Eve 2020 and asked his girlfriend, his former PA Anne-Marie Corbett, to marry him. A source told The Sun. "Obviously getting engaged in the midst of a pandemic isn't ideal when it comes to planning a wedding!" The pair eventually tied the knot in August 2021 in Heckfield, Hampshire.

5. Ant and Dec are related!

In the 2019 ITV documentary Ant and Dec's DNA Journey the pair discovered they were actually cousins!

The show revealed they share the same Viking warrior descendant through their father's bloodline.

6. Ant has an OBE.

In 2016 Ant and Dec were delighted to be included on the Queen's Birthday Honours List and awarded OBE's for services to broadcasting and entertainment. 

They said on their Instagram account. "We are both shocked, but incredibly honoured to receive OBE’s. We absolutely love what we do and have done since we started out aged 13. We are very passionate about the shows we present and we were especially honoured this year to host both The Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration and the 40 Years of the Princes Trust documentary. 

"What we do also allows us to work with some amazing charities that really do make a difference. 2016 has been a fantastic year so far, and we're so grateful for all the support we receive. We are just two ordinary lads from the west end of Newcastle. We hope us receiving this honour can inspire young people to chase their dreams and believe that anything is possible. This will definitely be the proudest our mams have ever been!"

Ant McPartlin's Fact File... 

Twitter: @antanddec

Instagram: @antanddec

We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.