Declan Donnelly is happily married to Ali Astall and the couple share two children together, but before he found wedded bliss he was in a high-profile romance with an actress

Declan Donnelly, widely recognised as one half of the presenting duo ‘Ant & Dec’, is blissfully married to talent manager Ali Astall. The couple shares a bundle of joy with their daughter Isla, who is six years old, and two year old son Jack.

Ali, who managed Dec’s career for over a decade before romance sparked, had often celebrated with him on occasions like Valentine’s Day when both were single. “We always hung out,” Dec candidly revealed to the Daily Express in 2014, reminiscing about their transition from professionals to partners.

Describing how their professional dynamic metamorphosed into a romantic bond, the 49 year old telly star reminisced, “When she was single and I was single we’d go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day together.”

He went on: “Last year we went out as a couple. It was a little strange because we’ve had a working relationship for so long.”

Dec, however, garnered media attention for his personal life many years prior to wedded bliss. Once famously linked with Clare Buckfield—known for her roles in ‘Grange Hill’ and ‘Two Point Four Children’—their budding romance began as teenage sweethearts in 1993, reports Birmingham Live.

Their ten-year journey saw them set up home in an elegant London property. Unfortunately, their romance met a rocky end in 2002 amid rumours of infidelity involving Dec and 23 year old lap dancer Tina Benson, leading to highly-publicized heartbreak for Clare Buckfield as the story exploded across tabloids, Birmingham Live reports.

Reflecting on the split, she admitted: “Nobody can be prepared for something like that. It was horrible, painful and unbelievably difficult.”

She added: “It was as bad as anyone would think it could be. We were together a very long time. I did think it would end up in marriage.”

Clare, also known for her roles in Doctors, Holby City, and Steel River Blues, is now a mother to her son Johnny, born in 2013.In a separate interview, Declan Donnelly opened up about the unusual start to his romance with his wife Ali, given their professional connection. He confessed: “It was a little strange because we’ve had a working relationship for so long.”

However, he added: “But because it just happened there was no big ta-da. Things couldn’t be better for me at the minute.”

The couple started dating in 2014 and got engaged later that year.

Dec recalled proposing on an Australian beach at sunset, just before filming I’m A Celebrity. “We went round to one side of the island, the only place on the island where you can see the sun set, and we just went round and we watched the sunset go down and we did it there, it was lovely,” he said.Dec and Ali tied the knot at St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Elswick.

The ceremony was led by Dec’s brother Father Dermott Donnelly, who sadly passed away in 2022. Dec’s TV partner Ant McPartlin served as his best man on the day.