Ant McPartlin returns to rehab following failed breathalyser test

POPULAR presenter Ant McPartlin has stepped down from his TV commitments to return to treatment after his involvement in a three-car pile-up at the weekend.

Speculation had been rising that this weekend’s Saturday Night Takeaway would not be aired after the crash yesterday, which involved McPartlin’s Mini Cooper — with his mum Christine and dog Hurley inside — another Mini and a BMW on Sunday afternoon.

Now McPartlin’s publicist has issued a statement, saying: ‘Ant has decided to go back into treatment and step down from his current TV commitments.

‘He has spoken with Dec and ITV today and asked for time off for the foreseeable future.

‘As such Saturday Night Takeaway will not be going ahead this Saturday.’

An ITV spokesman confirmed the decision about the cancellation of this coming Saturday’s show and said: ‘We will be reviewing options for the last two episodes of the series (March 31 and April 7), which would not feature Ant, who is taking time off to seek treatment.

‘We very much hope that he gets the help that he needs.’

The TV presenter, 42, was involved in a collision with two other cars yesterday afternoon while driving in Richmond, West London.

Ant allegedly hit a green Mini after veering into the wrong lane while coming off a roundabout, then reportedly crashed into a BMW X5.

Police were called to the crash site at 4pm on Sunday, where a number of individuals were treated at the scene for minor injuries and a child was taken to hospital to be checked as a precaution.

McPartlin was arrested after failing a roadside breathalyser test.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said that he was ‘taken to a south London police station for questioning and has since been released under investigation’. Inquiries continue, the spokeswoman added.

This is the latest in a string of personal setbacks for the star, who works as Ant and Dec with Declan Donnelly.

McPartlin entered rehab last year after struggling with an addiction to painkillers following a knee operation in 2015.

He returned to screens in November for I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! and jokingly mentioned his rehab stint along with his TV partner.

In January, McPartlin confirmed that he and his wife Lisa were separating after 11 years of marriage.

At the National Television Awards a few days after the split, McPartlin referred to his ‘tough year’ while picking up the presenting prize with Donnelly.

Following McPartlin’s arrest, fans have questioned whether his weekly programme, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, will air as normal this weekend.

ITV has yet to comment on the programme, which is scheduled to air live on Saturday at 7pm.

Author: Ann Jones