Ant and Dec have extended their remarkable winning streak at the National Television Awards, securing the TV Presenter award for the 22nd consecutive year. Accepting the prize at The O2 in London, the duo described themselves as the 'luckiest two men on telly' and expressed gratitude to the NTAs, ITV, and the public.
Declan Donnelly, who met Anthony McPartlin at age 13, admitted his heart was racing as they collected the award. 'We are as humbled and grateful tonight as we were when we won it for the first time,' he said. Ant added that they would continue presenting 'as long as you want us to'.
Speaking backstage, Ant attributed their enduring success to their friendship. 'We met at 13 and we have grown like friends do. We're friends first and foremost and the TV comes after that,' he explained. 'We know what makes each other laugh, what annoys each other, and yeah we love each other.'
The Geordie duo first met as child actors on BBC's Byker Grove and later formed PJ and Duncan, releasing the hit 'Let's Get Ready to Rumble'. They went on to host SM:TV and became two of ITV's most bankable stars. However, their partnership faced a severe test in 2018 when Ant caused a drink-drive crash in west London, injuring a young girl.
Ant stepped down from work and entered rehab. Dec, unaware of Ant's struggles, initially struggled to believe the news. 'It felt like a nightmare, that there'd been a mistake,' he recalled. The pair had a difficult conversation, with Dec telling Ant to focus on his health. 'I said I'd give everything up if he could just be happy again,' Dec said, admitting he felt both anger and concern.
Thankfully, Ant recovered and returned to work alongside Dec on shows like Saturday Night Takeaway and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! The duo's enduring friendship and professional partnership continue to resonate with audiences across the UK.
