Dec Donnelly is set to become a father, having his first child with wife Ali Astall.
The 42-year-old presenter married 40-year-old Ali back in 2015. The couple have reportedly always wanted a family and have been trying for a baby for some time.
It is believed talent manager Ali became pregnant shortly after Dec wrapped up filming the latest series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Ali is now said to be stepping back from work commitments to focus on her pregnancy.
A source told The Sun:
They are both absolutely delighted to be expecting — especially as they have been trying for some time.
The source added:
They have both always wanted a family but worried that it might not happen for them.
They have been keeping the pregnancy a closely guarded secret, but now that Ali is safely over 12 weeks, they are starting to let people know,
Dec – who is one of seven siblings himself – has previously spoken of his desire to have kids. After his wedding, he discussed how he was looking forward to starting a family.
Speaking with OK! magazine last year, Dec spoke about how filming in Disneyland for Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway had made him feel ‘broody:’
It is almost like a prescription – everyone should come and spend a couple of days in Disney once in their life. Would we come back with a little Ant and Dec? Oh, definitely!
We saw it on the show, what it means for young ones to come out here. It would be one of those things to do with children, definitely.
This happy news comes at a difficult time in Dec’s career, with his long time co-presenter Ant McPartlin having checked into rehab after being arrested on suspicion of drink driving.
Ant’s publicist Simon Jones released the following statement:
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.
42-year-old Ant was 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 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.
Many congratulations to Dec and Ali on their upcoming mini-Dec, I am sure they will be the loveliest and most supportive of parents.
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.
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.