Ant McPartlin reveals Declan Donnelly was furious over drink-drive crash but that now they’re closer than ever before

ANT McPartlin told last night how his arrest for drink-driving left best pal Dec Donnelly furious.

Tensions between the pair surfaced for the first time ever as Dec was forced to go on telly alone while his mate went into rehab.

Recalling their first words to each other the day after the crash, Ant, 43, said: “He’s angry, of course he’s angry.

“But it’s justified and I understood it."

The pair have been best pals since they were teenagers and were split for the first time in two decades as a result of Ant’s smash.

Dec was forced to go it alone for the last two episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway and the Britain’s Got Talent live shows, while he was joined by Holly Willoughby for I’m A Celebrity.

Recalling his discussions with Dec in the hours following the collision, Ant says: “I saw Dec the day after the crash and we didn’t even speak work.

“It wasn’t about that. It was about, ‘How are you?’ I said: ‘I’m not right.’ You know, mentally I wasn’t in a good place.

“We’re friends first and foremost. And we’re friends from the age of 13. But of course there’s going to be tensions there.

“Because this is not just getting p****d and making a fool of yourself at the office Christmas party — this is drink driving.

“He’s angry, of course he’s angry. But it’s justified and I understood it.

"Underneath all of that is love and still is love. And that’s what we talked about more than anything.”

The pair, both 43, were meeting at Ant’s house, where they made quick decisions about the future.

He recalls: “It was absolutely the correct decision for Dec to carry on with Takeaway. If it had been the other way, I would have done the same.

“But I was taking time out of life, not just work. Work was secondary.

“I said to Dec, ‘I just need to take time out and re-evaluate and get better and deal with things going on in my life. It will take as long as it takes.’

“I’m very lucky that I’ve got an understanding business partner and best friend who said, ‘Absolutely, your head is more important than anything.’ I had to lock myself away.”

The pair next met up when Ant was released from hospital to discuss what would happen on Britain’s Got Talent.

He says: “It was a very quick discussion.

“We both agreed Dec would do that on his own. I couldn’t have done the show, I wasn’t ready.”

Ant also had a number of meetings with senior executives at ITV, who supported his decision to take an extended break.

He recalls: “We’ve been on that channel since 1998 and worked our socks off. They were like, ‘Take as long as you want. Your job is always here when you want to come back, just get yourself well.’

“There are people there who care about me. You can’t work in an institution for that amount of time without making good lifelong friends.”

Ant didn’t watch Dec present BGT without him because “I couldn’t even think of work”.

The decision to let Holly fill his shoes on I’m A Celebrity was much harder.

Ant explains: “What I didn’t want to do is make the same mistake as last time. I knew it would pay dividends to take the rest of the calendar year off. He was cool about it. It just made more sense.

“It would have really altered the recovery programme I’d put in place. That was a difficult decision but my health came first.

“I never thought I’d say it but taking time away from work — something I love so much — has been the best decision.

";Looking back now I should have done it before. I should have took the length of time off I had this time last time.

“But you don’t know. Life’s a great teacher, isn’t it? I wasn’t meant to know that yet. I wasn’t meant to be that wise yet.

“I’ve had to go through what I’ve gone through to feel as good as I do today.”

Ant returned to work for the first time on Friday by recording the Britain’s Got Talent auditions and he is convinced that this time he is ready.

He says: “I am absolutely gagging to get going. I’m a bit anxious, a bit nervous, but ultimately a feeling of excitement and happiness.

"It’s been a long time. I want to be back doing what we do. I’m lucky that I love my job. I just want to get back to that.

“Britain’s Got Talent is the show that gives you the most bizarre days. You don’t know what’s happening, they don’t tell us who’s next, they don’t tell us who’s the next SuBo.

“Nine times out of ten, whoever you think is going to be good on first impressions isn’t. It’s a nice reintroduction into the workplace for me.”

Ant found the decision to walk away from work gut-wrenching.

He says: “One of the most difficult decisions I made was to take time out and not do something I love. It’s very hard when you’re going through the most difficult time of your life. Being at work was a massive help to me — it was the constant. It was a love affair.

“I was with the person who is my best friend. Millions of people would want to do this job.

“I’ve never lost the feeling of how lucky I am to be where I am. I’ve never lost that. I always remembered where I came from.”

Even with addiction and depression, Ant’s on-camera persona remained strong — something he puts down to his and Dec’s work ethic. He says: “My work never suffered through all my tough times over the last couple of years.

“I was in a terrible place. My saving grace was work on Saturdays. Getting through the weeks was tough. But rehearsals and doing the live Saturday Night Takeaway was brilliant.

“We’ve been brought up to be professional, me and Dec. We started as child actors and our work ethic is very strong.

“As a 13-year-old you were told you’re working with adults, learn your lines, time is money, you’ve got to get on and do it well. That was instilled in us and we’ve always kept it with us.”

Ant believes he is closer to Dec now than ever before.

He says: “Our relationship is stronger. He was just so supportive and brilliant. Look where we are now. Our life has gone through massive change.”

He’s referring, of course, to Dec finally becoming a dad to baby Isla with wife Ali Astall.

He says: “She’s beautiful little thing. I’m thrilled for the pair of them. They’ve wanted to be parents for a long time. The whole world of showbiz was overjoyed for them. I know how much it means to him.”

Ant adds: “I’ve tried to get Dec to bring Isla to work every day on Britain’s Got Talent. He’s like, ‘I can’t bring her to work, I’ve got a job to do.’ But I’ve twisted his arm.”

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