ITV’s big call: Ant McPartlin will return to Britain’s Got Talent

The talent show is back on screens later this month

Ant McPartlin will host Britain's Got Talent when the show returns to air later in April. ITV has taken the decision to keep Ant in all of the programme's pre-recorded footage, even though he was cut from Saturday Night Takeaway. It would be a nightmare to edit the presenter from hours of footage, after he was charged with drink driving, so his role in the London, Manchester and Belfast auditions will air as planned. [caption id="attachment_171034" align="alignnone" width="4256"] Simon Cowell will judge the 2018 series (Credit: Carrie Davenport)[/caption] However, Ant will not be at the live shows. Instead, it's likely Dec will present live BGT episodes solo, both onstage and off, after his success with the penultimate Saturday Night Takeaway show last Saturday. A source told the Sun: "After last weekend the feeling is very much that Dec should take on BGT alone too – he did a brilliant job. "The bosses at ITV loved him and want him back on screens as soon as possible, and Simon Cowell totally agrees that he's the best man for the job rather than bringing in a new face." [caption id="attachment_171035" align="alignnone" width="3000"] Britain's Got Talent's famous faces (Credit: Tim P. Whitby)[/caption] Judges Simon, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden will return and Stephen Mulhern will still follow up broadcasts with spin-off show Britain's Got More Talent. McPartlin had been due to appear in court yesterday, April 4, charged with drink driving - before the hearing was pushed back two weeks. Yesterday, court officials declined to elaborate on the reason, stating: "An adjournment has been agreed and a new date of hearing has been set for Monday 16th April." [caption id="attachment_171036" align="alignnone" width="3072"] Ant was due to appear in court on April 4 (Credit: Carrie Davenport)[/caption] The 42-year-old was arrested in March after losing control of his Mini. The crash hospitalised a three-year-old girl and Ant failed a roadside breathalyser test. He was charged with drink driving. McPartlin lost control of his black Mini on a roundabout and crashed into a green Mini containing a couple and their young child. Declan Donnelly has since presented Saturday Night Takeaway alone.