British TV favourites Ant & Dec have postponed the 2019 run of their award-winning variety show Saturday Night Takeaway to allow Ant Mcpartlin to take a full year away from the spotlight.
His partner, Declan Donnelly, will also front November’s (18) I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! reality show solo.
Ant stepped away from the cameras in March, after he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving following a car crash.
He was handed a fine and a 20-month driving ban, and subsequently announced plans to take some time away to seek treatment for addiction.
As a result, Donnelly presented the final two episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway alone, and now the duo has decided to give the hit show a break next year, and return in 2020.
In a statement, McPartlin assures fans his recovery is going “very well”, adding, “For that to continue, having spoken to Dec and (network officials at) ITV, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off… I’d like to thank both Dec and ITV for their continued support and I look forward to getting back to work in the new year.”
Dec adds, “I am proud of the work Ant has been doing privately and I am fully supportive of his decision. I’m looking forward to us both being reunited on screen in 2019.”
