ITV ‘Locked In Crisis Talks Over Ant McPartlin’s Future’ After His Arrest

ITV

ITV bosses are said to be locked in crisis talks over the future career of family favourite Ant McPartlin.

42-year-old McPartlin has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, in an incident which involved a three-year-old girl.

The TV personality reportedly lost control of his Mini and crashed into another car. After failing a roadside breathalyser test, police officers took Ant away for questioning.

The injured three-year-old was taken to hospital as a precaution. Ant’s mother and pet dog, Hurley, were both inside the vehicle at the time of the incident.

Ant had been due to co-host Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend, alongside his long term presenting partner Declan Donnelly.

However, according to The Mirror, ITV bosses are now discussing whether or not Ant should appear on the popular prime time programme this week.

Ant and Dec have had a long history of working with ITV, presenting many of the channel’s most successful shows including I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Britain’s Got Talent.

Learn more about this current crisis below:

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The crash happened in Mortlake, south-west London. A Scotland Yard spokesperson has made the following statement:

Police in Richmond were called to Lower Richmond Road at 15.59hrs following reports of a road traffic collision involving three vehicles.

Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended.

A number of individuals were treated at the scene for minor injuries only. A child passenger from one of the cars has been taken to hospital for a check up as a precaution.

A 42-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drink-driving after failing a roadside breathalyser test.

He has been taken to a south London police station for questioning.

This latest incident comes after a traumatic time for the presenter, who has publicly spoken about his battle with alcohol and prescription drugs addiction.

After spending time in rehab, Ant returned to work in November for his annual appearance on Im a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The pair even joked about Ant’s rumoured absence from the show.

In January 2018, Ant split from his wife Lisa. Pressure was reportedly put on the marriage by Ant’s addiction issues.

Now rumours have begun that another presenter could be filling in for Ant on Saturday Night Takeaway. Stephen Mulhern and Scarlett Moffatt are both names which are being banded about.

While accepted the presenting duo’s 17th TV presenter prize at the National Television Awards, Ant spoke with emotion about the issues he had been experiencing:

It’s been a tough year for me personally, quite an emotional night, so to kind of top it off with three awards has been … can I have a lie down now?

He added:

I had a very tough summer last summer, I had to face up to a lot of things and my one thing was just getting back to work with my best mate.

If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 for advice and support.

If you’re experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They’re open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58, and they also have a webchat service if you’re not comfortable talking on the phone.

Our thoughts go out to all who were involved in this crash.

Julia Banim

Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.