Ant McPartlin admits he has ‘alcohol and emotional issues’ as he ‘hopes public will forgive him’ over drink-drive crash
TROUBLED Ant McPartlin admitted he has "alcohol and emotional issues" as he begged for public forgiveness over his drink-drive shame.
The TV star said he had "let people down" and was "truly sorry for what happened" after he smashed into two cars while more than double the drink drive limit last month.
McPartlin's lawyer Liam Walker told Wimbledon Magistrates' Court the "difficulty and distress" of his marriage breakdown to make up artist Lisa Armstrong had contributed to his "brief relapse".
He said: "[He] hopes that in time he can be forgiven by the many people he has let down terribly".
Mr Walker told the court McPartlin was seeking help to "address the problems that he has in order overcome them and ensure they never happen again".
He added: "Anthony McPartlin is sorry and is doing everything he can to ensure this never happens again."
"He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly."
The Saturday Night Takeaway star appeared sombre as he pleaded guilty a single charge of drink-driving today.
The star, who earns £130,000-a-week, was was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months.
The court was told he was more than twice the legal alcohol limit - with 75mg in his bloodsteam - when his black John Cooper special edition Mini ploughed into two cars in Richmond, south west London on March 18.
Other people involved in the crash had been left fearing "they could have died" - with a nine-year-old screaming to his mother: "I'm dying mummy, I'm dying mummy".
McPartlin today tried to draw a line under the horror incident as he told magistrates he was guilty and ready to take his punishment.
The court was told that McPartlin had apologised to police over what had happened, saying that he was "ashamed and mortified" over the crash.
McPartlin said: "I accept full culpability for this and wish to apologise to all those concerned."
He admitted that he had "emotional issues" but he now faces a battle to repair the damage done to his career.
He has now scrapped all work commitments for the “foreseeable future” and returned to rehab after receiving treatment for prescription drug and alcohol addiction last summer.
Ant said: “I want to thank my wife, family and closest friends for helping me through this really difficult time.
“I’ve spoken out because I think it’s important that people ask for help if they’re going through a rough time and get the proper treatment to help their recovery.”
The crash was the latest in a string of blows for the I’m A Celebrity star.
In August, he told The Sun On Sunday, how he checked into rehab to kick his addiction to Tramadol — the painkiller he got hooked on after a botched knee operation.
The presenter said he knew he needed help after wife Lisa had to rush him to hospital at 5am when he tried to dull his pain with a mix of Tramadol, morphine and alcohol.
He said: “I was at the point where anything, prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs.
“And take them with alcohol, which is ridiculous. The doctors told me ‘You could have killed yourself’.”
He then announced he was divorcing wife Lisa, 41, after 11 years of marriage in January.
The split was bitter, with Lisa being said to have to “liked” back-biting posts about the Geordie star on Twitter.
And the estranged couple prepared for a custody struggle over their beloved dog Hurley.
The Sun also revealed how Lisa had been axed from Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway over the divorce battle.
Legal experts say the divorce could cost him £30million.