Fish and chips. Bangers and mash. Weather and queuing. Ant and Dec. The duo are a staple of British culture, appearing on our television screens every night and in our tabloids the next morning.
The two presenters – real names Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – are so inseparable in our imagination that a survey once revealed that 70 per cent of the British public don’t know who is who. It’s apparently why they always stand in the same positions to match the order of their names: Ant on the left and Dec on the right.
The two are even insured against the other’s death; Ant once joked: “Maybe when we’re 50 and not getting paid as we used to, I’ll knock him off.”
This year saw the pair celebrating 30 years of being “Ant & Dec” but what’s the story behind Britain’s beloved presenters?
How old are they?
Joined at the hip and seemingly indistinguishable, it should come as no surprise that Ant and Dec were born only two months apart in 1975. Dec celebrated his 47th birthday last year on 25 September, with Ant enjoying his own on 18 November.
The two best friends are born only two months apart— (ITV)
How did they meet?
Ant and Dec met in 1989 when they were just 13 years old on the set of children’s drama Byker Grove. Ant had landed the role of PJ the DJ on the hit BBC show where Dec had already starred for one year as straight-laced teen Duncan.
Ant and Dec pictured among the cast of the 1989 children’s drama ‘Byker Grove’— (Rex Features)
On set, Newcastle-born Ant and Dec quickly bonded over their love of football and Newcastle United. In an interview, Ant revealed that in 1990 he had sent Dec a Christmas card inviting him to St James Park on Boxing Day to watch Newcastle draw with Swindon Town.
In July 2023 it was announced that Byker Grove is making a comeback, and will be produced by Ant and Dec. The show will “help shine a spotlight on the North East and the talent the region has to offer both in front of the camera and behind it”, said Dec.
He added: “Byker Grove will always be very special to us as the show which gave us our break, so we are beyond excited.
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“We are looking forward to bringing this fresh incarnation to a whole new generation as well as those who remember it as fondly as we do.”
What shows have they presented?
In 1994, the pair began their career as presenters on the CiTV Saturday morning show Gimme 5. The following year saw the launch of The Ant & Dec Show on CBBC. Although the series only ran for one year, the hosts won two Baftas, one for “Best Children’s Show” and another for “Best Sketch Comedy Show”.
From there, in 1998 they made the move to Channel 4 with an early evening show titled Ant & Dec Unzipped, which earned them another Bafta before they hopped over to ITV for SM:TV Live and CD:UK.
Ant, Dec and Cat Deeley hosted ITV’s ‘SM:TV’ for five years between 1998 and 2003— (ITV)
Presenting alongside Cat Deely, the Saturday morning children’s show became a smash-hit with its mix of games such as Eat My Goal, Wonkey Donkey and Challenge Ant. The series ran for three years and became the most popular kids show in ITV’s history.
At the turn of the millennium, the pair split off from Deeley and went on to get their first taste of primetime TV on the BBC One game show Friends Like These. Next up in 2001 was Slap Bang with Ant & Dec, which was essentially SM:TV Live for grown-ups.
The year 2002 was a big one for the boys with the launch of Saturday Night Takeaway. The variety show has proven to be a continuing success for ITV. After a four-year hiatus, the series returned in 2013 to applause, even winning a Bafta that same year. The show aired its 19th season earlier this year.
‘Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway’ solidified the duo’s status as mainstays of British television— (ITV)
The year 2002 also marked the beginning of another ITV hit I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – which is returning to screens this autumn after it aired its first all-stars series, won by Myleene Klass.
In 2005, Ant and Dec’s Gameshow Marathon – a seven-episode special event that rebooted a number of classic game shows including The Price is Right, Family Fortunes and Play Your Cards Right – was created. The event returned in 2007 but series one runner-up Vernon Kay took over the hosting duties.
Following their ever-lengthening string of successes, Ant and Dec next launched Poker Face – a game show that gave contestants a chance to bluff their way all the way to £1m.
Two years later in 2007, the duo became hosts on television monolith Britain’s Got Talent, which recently wrapped its 16th season.
Pair will return to screens on 15 November as hosts of ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!'— (Rex Features)
American game show Wanna Bet? offered an opportunity for Ant and Dec to find fame across the pond. However, the show only aired for one series. They had better luck back on ITV with Ant & Dec’s Push The Button which ran for two seasons between 2010 and 2011.
The pair got back together with their Britain’s Got Talent co-star Simon Cowell for Red or Black? – a reality series whose first season saw four contestants go home as instant millionaires.
To celebrate their 25th year of working together, in 2014 the pair launched their Saturday Night Takeaway arena tour.
During an appearance on The One Show in 2020, the duo revealed that they were close to splitting up in 2018 following Ant’s year-long break brought on by alcohol struggles and marital problems – during which Dec took on either solo presenting roles or was accompanied by various guests.
The pair shared an emotional reunion on Britain’s Got Talent in January 2019, marking Ant’s first day back on the job since he was arrested and convicted for drink driving 10 months earlier.
What else have they done besides presenting?
Throughout their time together, Ant and Dec also enjoyed some musical success. The pair had a pop career that spanned four years, three albums, 14 top 20 hits, and most notably resulted in their Brit-nominated single “Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble”.
The fifth season of Byker Grove saw their characters PJ and Duncan form a band called Grove Matrix and record a track titled “Tonight I’m Free”, which was then released as a single by Telstar records.
On Ant’s 18th birthday, the boys legally signed their record deal with Telstar as their alter-egos PJ and Duncan. By 1997, though, the two started going by their real names with the release of their third album The Cult of Ant & Dec.
Before presenting, the duo made a name for themselves in music with their hit song 'Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble’ receiving a BRIT Award nomination— (Rex Features)
The pair have also spent a fair share of time among the royal family. The two presenters were granted unprecedented access to the former Prince Charles for their 2016 documentary When Ant and Dec Met The Prince: 40 Years of The Prince’s Trust. That same year, Ant and Dec also hosted The Queen’s 90th Birthday Live on ITV.
Fans received a behind-the-scenes look at the celebrities’ background when Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey aired in 2019. The two-part special saw the friends embark on an emotional journey to follow their bloodlines using DNA analysis and genealogy – they even discovered that they were cousins.
Big achievements?
Ant and Dec were appointed OBE by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in January 2017— (Rex Features)
In 2017, Ant and Dec received OBEs from Her Majesty The Queen for their services to Broadcasting and Entertainment.
Two years later, the duo became Guinness World Record holders after setting the record for The Most National Television Awards Won Consecutively.
