In 2018, Ant McPartlin had taken a break from presenting after being charged with drunk driving and checking into a rehabilitation centre to combat his addiction to pain medication. During that time he was able to work on himself and discovered things about his health he never knew.
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Ant and ADHD
Ant McPartlin was convicted of drink driving in March 2018 and paid an £86,000 fine. After the car crash, he met with ITV and fellow presenter Declan Donnelly and was suspended from the channel for 20 months.
Ant pleaded guilty to the charges and checked into a rehabilitation centre to help combat his addiction to painkillers, which he had been prescribed back in 2015 after a knee operation.
During his time at rehab, Ant said that the doctors thoroughly examined him and came to the conclusion that he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After being told his diagnosis, Ant said it ‘made sense’ as those who have the disorder are more susceptible to substance abuse, in this case, alcohol and painkillers. He told The Sun in 2019:
In my job, having what they call ‘popcorn thinking’ is good because it means you can jump from one thing to another. Professionally, it’s brilliant. Personally, I’m all over the place.
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His return to television
Ant returned to television beside his long-time coworker, Declan, in 2019 for Britain’s Got Talent auditions. On Saturday, February 19, the popular show Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway returned to the nation’s screen after it was remote last year due to the pandemic.
Declan greeted his co-host in an emotional manner saying:
We’ve got the judges back, the golden buzzer is back, and someone else is back. My co-host for the series, would you please welcome... Mr Ant McPartlin.
Ant, who got emotional responded:
What a great show to come back to, I’m thrilled, I’m over the moon. Shall we move on before I cry?
It is safe to say that Ant and Dec are more than just coworkers, they are best friends.
