Since bursting onto our screens back in 1989 as PJ in Geordie teen drama, Byker Grove, Ant McPartlin has become one of the most famous faces on TV.
Along with his sidekick and best pal, Declan Donnelly, 48, he's fronted a whole host of shows, including I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! which returns for its 23rd series on Sunday.
Together, Ant and Dec have won the Best Presenter gong a whopping 22 times at the National Television Awards, with Ant saying they'll only stop presenting when the 'viewers want them to'.
So, as the star, who is married to Anne-Marie Corbett after a bitter divorce with ex-wife, Lisa Armstrong, celebrates his 48th birthday in the shimmering Australian sun, we wish him many happy returns of the day as we look back over his years in the spotlight.
Heartbreaking divorce
Make-up artist Lisa and Ant were happily together for 23 years after getting hitched in 2006 at a lavish bash surrounded by friends and family. However, in 2017, they announced their separation before getting divorced in a 30-second hearing.
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Make-up artist Lisa and Ant were happily together for 23 years after getting hitched in 2006 (WENN)
The star arrives in Australia for the new series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! ahead of his 48th birthday (Tim Merry/Mirror Express)The showbiz world was shocked to hear the marriage hadn't survived following Ant's stint in rehab, despite Lisa sticking by him during his addiction battle. Eight months after the then 43-year-old TV presenter left rehab in 2017 he announced in a brutal statement that it was all over and Lisa, then 42, was left reeling.
Ant shunned their £6million marital home for "some space" while the Deuce singer took to social media where she welcomed support from her fans. In a statement issued at the time, a representative said: "In response to the recent speculation in the media, Ant is very sad to announce that, after eleven years, he is ending his marriage to Lisa McPartlin. Ant asks for privacy at this difficult time, for both himself, Lisa and their immediate families. No further statement will be made."
The estranged pair had not spoken since Ant's statement, but just hours before his drunken horror smash - in which he was fined £86k and banned from the road after pleading guilty to drink-driving - they'd had a blazing row.
Declan Donnely has been Ant's best man twiceIt's believed the phone call may have been the last time the couple spoke, as Ant was arrested and taken to a police station after his crash in Richmond. Their heated exchange was said to be over the care agreements for their chocolate Labrador Hurley, who the couple got in 2011 and still have joint custody of.
A friend close to Ant had said custody arrangements over Hurley were a sticking point during the divorce proceedings, with both of their legal teams hashing out how to spilt the couple's £62million assets - including their marital home, jewellery and artwork.
In the settlement, Lisa got the couple's £5m former marital home in Chiswick, West London, which she now rents out as well, as a slice of the her ex's fortune, which is said to be worth up to £31m.
Secret tattoo
When the 22nd series of I'm A Celebrity aired last year, fans were struck by Ant's new tattoo which took pride of place on the inside of his right forearm.
The striking inking is copy of the floor mosaic in the Strawberry Fields area of New York’s Central Park, which was laid in tribute to Beatles star, John Lennon. The mosaic – and Ant’s tattoo, features the word Imagine encircled by an intricate spiral mosaic circle. It also has a hidden meaning, with the inking evoking a vision of hope for a world without strife or war - particularly poignant now amid the atrocities happening as a result of the Israel - Hammas war.
Ant has never discussed the meaning behind his arrow tattoos (ITV)However, it's not the only tattoo Ant has. The Let's Get Ready Rumble star displayed an arrow tattoo on his right forearm and a rose on his left during filming of the 2019 series of I'm A Celebrity. Ant hasn't revealed the symbolism behind the ink, saying the arrow has a "personal meaning, but it's very positive". Fans think the arrow may reflect the star's commitment to his sobriety as he puts his drinking driving shame behind him.
The presenter also has the Alcoholics Anonymous symbol inked on his left wrist following his time in rehab as well as a tribute to his wife Anne-Marie on his chest, which features a heart with a circle and the letter A.
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Finding love with 'rock' Anne-Marie
After his marriage to Lisa fell apart, Ant began a relationship with Anne-Marie, the presenter's former assistant, who worked at the same management company as Dec’s wife Ali Astall for a decade.
He married Anne-Marie in 2021 (Getty Images)Anne-Marie had split from the husband of her two children in 2020, months before Ant's divorce was finalised. She was first seen at Ant’s house in March that year - taking out the bins - and when Ant was arrested for drink driving the same month, she accompanied him to the police station.
Sources claim the mum-of-two had been by the presenter's side through his “lowest depths” and her unwavering support helped him on the road to recovery when he was convicted of drink-driving. However, when the couple's relationship was confirmed in June, Ant’s ex Lisa wasn't happy as she tweeted: "To think she was MY friend!"
Later speaking to The Sun, Ant insisted that he and Anne-Marie hadn’t been looking for love when they grew closer. The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star said: "We were going through turmoil. It was the last thing on either of our minds to get into a relationship. But there we were like 'This felt so good, why deny it”.’
The couple began renting a six-bedroom home in 2018, before moving into their own place the following year. Ant popped the question Christmas Eve 2020 before tying the knot with Anne-Marie in 2021, where best pal Dec was his best man - again.
*The new series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! starts on ITV on Sunday at 9pm
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