Anthony McPartlin

Anthony David 'Ant' McPartlin, OBE (born 18 November 1975) is an English television presenter, producer and actor, best known as one half of the British acting and TV presenting duo Ant & Dec, with the other being Declan Donnelly.

McPartlin came to prominence in the children's drama series Byker Grove and as one half of the pop music duo PJ & Duncan. Since then, McPartlin and Donnelly have had a very successful career as television presenters, currently presenting I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! since 2002, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway since 2002, Britain's Got Talent since 2007 and Text Santa since 2011.

Before then, the duo presented other ITV entertainment series such as PokerFace, Push the Button, Pop Idol and Red or Black?.

McPartlin at the 62nd British Academy Film Awards, April 2009.

Ant's first appearance on television was on the children's workshop programme Why Don't You? but he rose to prominence playing PJ in the Children's BBC series Byker Grove. It was here that he first met Declan Donnelly, who was cast in the part of Duncan, and real life mirrored the programme as the two became best friends both on set and off. In the guise of "PJ & Duncan AKA", they had a number of hit records, starting with "Tonight I'm Free", a song that they had performed on the show. The two left the series in 1993.

Since that time the pair have appeared together in such programmes as SMTV Live, Friends Like These, Pop Idol, Britain's Got Talent, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, PokerFace and Push the Button. They have also returned to acting, starring in a 2002 Tribute to The Likely Lads and the 2006 film Alien Autopsy.

In 2007 it was discovered that two shows, Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which he co-presented with Donnelly, had defrauded viewers participating in phone-ins. The latter was produced by the pair's own production company.

In April 2009, Ant & Dec achieved wide international exposure when, as backstage commentators for Britain's Got Talent, they interviewed contestant Susan Boyle, whose audition would become the most viewed YouTube video of the year and whose record album topped sales charts in dozens of countries.

On 22 July 2006 he married longtime girlfriend and make-up artist Lisa Armstrong at Cliveden, a country house hotel in Buckinghamshire. They met when they were both performing at a pop concert at Newcastle City Hall in 1994. McPartlin was there as part of PJ & Duncan AKA, whilst Armstrong was in the pop band Deuce.

McPartlin was formerly a Labour Party supporter. However at the 2010 election he voted for the Conservatives. In February 2013, he told The Guardian newspaper that he would struggle to justify voting for the Conservatives or the Labour Party "at the moment".

Charity

McPartlin and Donnelly are patrons of the charity Sunshine Fund. When their single 'Let's Get Ready to Rhumble' reached No.1, Ant & Dec donated the single's success to the charity ChildLine. They also support the Text Santa appeal.

They opened the W4 Youth Centre in 2013.

In 2007, McPartlin with his on-screen presenting partner Donnelly, signed a £30 million two-and-a-half year contract with ITV.

McPartlin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting and entertainment.

Ant and Dec have won or been nominated for the following awards:

In September 2006, they were voted by the general public as number 7 in a poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars.

1994

• Brit Award Nomination – Best Song: "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble"

1995

• Brit Award Nomination – British Breakthrough

2006

• British Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Entertainment Personality
• British Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Entertainment Programme

2008

• TV Quick & TV Choice Awards: Best Entertainment Show (Saturday Night Takeaway)
• Nickelodeon UK Kids Choice Awards 2008: Favourite Funny Person, Best TV presenters and Best Family TV show (Britain's Got Talent)

2009

• TV Quick & TV Choice Awards: Best Entertainment Show (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)
• TV Quick & TV Choice Awards:Outstanding Contribution Award

2010

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

2012

• Freesat: Best TV Presenter(s)

2013

• TRIC Awards: TV Personality of the Year
• TRIC Awards: TRIC Special Award (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)
• RTS Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)
• Nominated – British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!)

2014

• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Performance (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)
• British Academy Television Awards: Entertainment Programme (Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway)

National Television Awards

Ant & Dec have won the National Television Award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter(s) 14 years running 2001 to 2015.

NTAs by number won

Television

Film

Television advertisements

Apps

• An official Saturday Night Takeaway app known as Studio Rush launched on 30 January 2013.