TV star Dec Donnelly has apologised after accidentally walking out of a motorway branch of M&S without paying for his lunch, admitting on a podcast: "I nearly got arrested." The 50-year-old, famous for his double act with Ant McPartlin, confessed to the mishap during their joint podcast, explaining he had taken a bacon and egg sandwich without paying and then eaten the evidence.
Accidental theft at Bridgwater services
Donnelly said he and his wife Ali Astall had stopped for sandwiches, crisps and "bang bang chicken to share" at Bridgwater services in Somerset after a trip to Cornwall. He described how the incident unfolded: "We stopped off halfway. We like stopping off at a services with an M&S. So we go in, we pick our sandwiches and take it to the self-service checkout. I start bleeping it, put everything in the bag, bleep my Sparks card and then I just walk off."
Ant replied: "What do you mean?" The dad-of-two continued: "I put it all in my bag and wandered off... As I was tucking into my sandwich, I turned to the current Mrs D and I said with a mouth full of egg and bacon sandwich: 'I haven't paid for this.' She went: 'What do you mean? What do you mean?' I went: 'I haven't paid for it. I bleeped me Sparks card and I just left.'"
Apology and donation
Donnelly explained how he tried to fix the situation, saying: "So we're on the road, I had to ring the services. I couldn't get through first of all, then I get on the phone to the girls in the office and I say: 'I'm really sorry, I have just shoplifted from Bridgewater services. My heart rate is slightly raised, I think I'm going to get arrested because they know it was me.'" Ant replied: "Of course. You're one of the most recognisable men in Britain, you can't get away with this behaviour."
The I'm A Celeb host went on: "So they rang the services and said 'Dec has just been in, he's just shoplifted, what can we do to resolve the situation?'. They said 'thank you for your honesty but there is nothing we can do now but please make a donation to our charity, which I think was Mind." Donnelly said he gave a donation which was "slightly more" than the price of his sandwiches, adding: "So I am slightly out of pocket."
Jokes at Donnelly's expense
The explanation wasn't enough for Ant, who shouted to the cameras during the story: "Declan Donnelly is a thief." He also joked, referring to M&S: "They were going to be a sponsor of this podcast. Not anymore."
