Declan Donnelly fought back tears when sharing a letter written to his younger self and his presenter pal, Ant McPartlin.
Donnelly, who launched to fame in 1989 alongside McPartlin on TV series Byker Grove, read the letter aloud in a new episode of their podcast, but struggled through a section in which he told a young McPartlin, who has struggled with painkiller addiction and alcoholism: “It will all be OK.”
“This will be hard to read,” Donnelly, 50, said in a preview of Hanging Out with Ant & Dec, his voice quivering, to which McPartlin, 50, replied: “I bet.”
He continued: “Say hi to 1994 Ant for me. Tell him to remember he’s a great kid, and it will all be OK. Even when it feels like it won't. Look out for each other, enjoy the ride and hey, respect guys. Love from future Dec.”
In March 2018, McPartlin was charged with drink driving when his car collided with two others after he consumed more than twice the legal alcohol limit . He was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months.
The year before, he entered rehab after a knee injury in 2015 led him to an addiction to prescription pain medication. Doctors told him he was “killing” himself by mixing the meds with alcohol.
Elsewhere in the letter, Donnelly told his younger self that his and McPartlin’s friendship “will endure through thick and thin” and “is even stronger in 2026” than it was in the 1990s.
“Stop and smell the flowers from time to time, and don't pay so much attention to the weeds,” he said. “Don't worry so much about things not being perfect or what’s coming next and have those anxieties ruin the present. Enjoy what’s coming your way and appreciate it.”
Donnelly describes the duo’s rise to fame in the 1990s as “exciting and exhilarating yet daunting and bewildering, thrilling and intoxicating, yet intense and exhausting”, adding: 'I don't want to reveal too much of what happens next because you need to live the next adventure ahead and experience the highs and lows and the lessons they will teach you. Those lessons will make you the man you are today.”
After embarking on a music career as PJ & Duncan, releasing the song “Let's Get Ready to Rhumble” in 1994, the pair became two of the UK’s most successful presenters, hosting I’m a Celebrity, Britain’s Got Talent, Limitless Win, and Saturday Night Takeaway, which came to an end in 2024.
They won the National Television Award (NTA) for Best Presenter a record 23 times until 2025, when Gary Lineker took home the prize shortly after announcing he had quit Match of the Day after 26 years.
In 2026, Donnelly said he is proud of McPartlin for overcoming his struggles, telling The Times: “What I most admire is that with the challenges he’s faced, especially over the last few years, Ant took responsibility and real action.
“He worked on himself so much to get back not just to being himself but actually being a much better person than he was before.”
McPartlin reflected on his journey to sobriety, adding: “These last few years, it’s the happiest I’ve been in a long, long time. What changes as you get older, especially being sober as well, for me, is the purpose.”
He added that he’s “very lucky” that he has “an understanding business partner and best friend”.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here. In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP
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