Declan Donnelly WILL have a co-host stepping in for Ant McPartlin on I’m A Celebrity, confirms ITV boss

DECLAN Donnelly WILL have a co-host stepping in for Ant McPartlin on I'm A Celebrity, confirms ITV boss.

ITV chief Kevin Lygo made the announcement at the The Edinburgh International Television Festival in Scotland today and revealed Ant is "doing well".

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Ant, 42, has pulled out of all his TV work until 2019 to focus on his recovery following his drink-drive conviction this year.

Speculation has been rife about whether Dec, 42, will present I'm A Celebrity alone, but Lygo has now confirmed he'll have a co-host.

Speaking at the TV event in Edinburgh today, he revealed ITV chiefs are currently scouting for a replacement to take over from Ant when I'm A Celeb returns to TV this autumn.

He said: "The good news is he's [Ant is] doing well he's doing everything he should be doing to get better.

"We collectively thought let's give it a good enough time off because this thing is a slow procedure so that's what we've decided to do.

"He's not going to go to the jungle but Dec is, we'll find someone to go with Dec."

Other stars who have been tipped to take over from Ant on I'm A Celebrity include Holly Willoughyby and Scarlett Moffatt, but the Geordie star has since been ruled out by signing up to host the spin-off Extra Camp instead.

Lygo even joked that unlikely candidates such as Piers Morgan or Jeremy Corbyn could be brought in to help Dec.

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He laughed: "Dec's doing the jungle and... he'll do it with somebody.

"Yes I have [decided who that person is?]. It's going to be Piers Morgan... no!

"No I don't know it could be Jeremy Corbyn I don't know who it is but, erm, I can't say."

However, he did hint that whoever gets the job will already be a well-known TV presenter as it's unlikely that a newbie could handle such a high-profile role.

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Lygo explained: "I don't see it as our primary function is to bring on the new talent and I think it can be counter-productive.

"If I was an agent and I had an exciting new presenter I'd be quite worried about putting them into the white heat of the spotlight of a big show on ITV frankly if you don't get above four million viewers it's not great."

As well as walking away from I'm A Celebrity, Ant will also not be back for the next series of Saturday Night Takeaway which had been due in the spring.

However, they decided not to bring the show back without Ant so fans will have to wait until 2020 to see it again.

At the festival today, Lygo backed the decision, saying: "I think it was important from Ant's point of view to not worry about doing any work...

"They're proud of it and they want to do it perfectly, bigger and better every series.

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"So they just felt they were getting constrained the time was getting a bit cramped and so we took the decision not to have it this year.

"And otherwise it's great. They will be back next year."

Ant, 42, has been in rehab since March after an alcohol addiction relapse saw him convicted of drink-driving.

When announced his decision to step away from all his TV work until next year, he said: “My recovery is going very well and for that to continue — having spoken to Dec and ITV — I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off.”

Dec backed the move, saying: “I am proud of the work Ant has been doing privately and I am fully supportive of his decision.”

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