Ant and Dec: Declan Donnelly felt ‘incredibly angry’ that Ant McPartlin did not confide in him about addiction struggle

Presenter admits he thought he had lost his friend and long-time collaborator

Declan Donnelly has admitted he felt “incredibly angry” that his long-time collaborator Ant McPartlin did not confide in him about his addiction struggles from the beginning.

McPartlin took a break from his television commitments due to an addiction to subscription painkillers and his conviction for drink-driving in 2018.

His departure meant that Donnelly was left to present Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway alone, while Holly Willoughby stepped in to co-host the most recent series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

This year, the iconic presenting duo are reuniting for the next series of I’m a Celebrity and a new documentary entitled Ant and Dec's DNA Journey.

Speaking at the London press screening of the documentary, Donnelly said he thought he had lost his best friend.

“It has been a tough couple of years and it has tested the bond we have shared since we were 13 years old,” he said. “I was incredibly angry at the start, so angry…

“I was disappointed that he didn't ever come to me and say, 'I am struggling, I need you,' because that is what I would do if the shoe was on the other foot.

“And he never came to me and that hurt me a lot.”

When asked if he believed he may have lost his friendship with McPartlin, Donnelly replied: “Yes. There was a point where I thought that that was it.

“There were times where I wasn't sure it was going to survive. Times where you didn’t know it needed to survive or you wanted it to survive.”

Ant & Dec's DNA Journey airs on Sunday 10 and Monday 11 November on ITV.

I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! begins on ITV on 17 November.