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12th Mar 2019

Ant McPartlin will return to host I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in 2019

Marc Mayo

Ant & Dec are due to be reunited on the show later in the year

The next series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here is set to feature host Ant McPartlin once more after the show’s director confirmed the return of the original line-up of hosts.

Holly Willoughby filled in for the Geordie presenter last year amid his struggle with alcohol addiction. He first entered rehab in 2017 and was involved in a car collision in March 2018, eventually pleading guilty to drink driving before being banned from the wheel for 20 months.

After taking the rest of 2018 off, it has been announced that he will make once again present alongside Declan Donnelly in this year’s edition.

Speaking at a BAFTA Masterclass, director Richard Cowles said: “We love what Holly did, but we’re very much looking forward to Ant coming back and I think it’s going to be an amazing series.

“I think the job is for us to create a series and cast where everyone wants to come back and watch more, so I’m not worried [about ratings].

“I’m looking forward to seeing Ant and Dec back again.”

Ant, 43, first appeared on our screens as a youngster and began his partnership with Dec in CBBC series Byker Grove. As well as acting, they released a number of hit singles and moved into presenting, helming I’m A Celebrity since its 2002 inception.

However, the pair’s usual gig hosting the Prince’s Trust Awards will be taken over by Phillip Schofield as the scheduling for this year’s ceremony “unfortunately clashed with commitments they already had in place”.

They were awarded the best presenter(s) gong at last month’s National Television Awards, annoying Piers Morgan as Ant hadn’t strictly been on our screens very much.

“I really don’t feel like I can accept this award this year,” the 43-year-old admitted when handed the gong.