Ant McPartlin, one half of the beloved British presenting duo Ant and Dec, has been navigating the highs and lows of new fatherhood in 2024. The 49-year-old TV star welcomed his first child, a son named Wilder Patrick McPartlin, with wife Anne-Marie Corbett on May 14, 2024, a moment he described as leaving him “a mess” with joy (Sky News, May 14, 2024). However, a recent hospital visit reportedly brought Ant to tears, while Anne-Marie’s choice of the unconventional name “Wilder” shocked fans, sparking widespread discussion. This account explores the emotional hospital visit, the significance of the baby’s name, and the couple’s journey as new parents.
The hospital visit that left Ant in tears occurred in late 2024, shortly after he returned from filming I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in Australia. According to The Sun (December 2024), Ant visited a London hospital to support a close family member, though details of the relative’s identity and condition were kept private. Sources described Ant as “overwhelmed with emotion,” noting that the visit came amid the intense joy of fatherhood and the exhaustion of his professional commitments. “Becoming a dad has made Ant more vulnerable,” a friend told The Sun. “Seeing someone he loves in hospital hit him hard, and he couldn’t hold back the tears.” The visit underscored Ant’s deep family ties, especially poignant after the birth of Wilder and his role as stepfather to Anne-Marie’s daughters, Daisy and Poppy.
The choice of the name Wilder Patrick McPartlin, revealed in Ant’s heartfelt Instagram post (Instagram/@antanddec, May 14, 2024), stunned fans for its bold departure from traditional names. Derived from the Old English surname “Wilde,” meaning “wild, untamed, uncontrolled” (Wales Online, May 15, 2024), Wilder sparked a mix of admiration and surprise. Fans flooded social media with reactions, with one X post reading, “Wilder?! Ant and Anne-Marie went HARD with that name—love the vibe!” Others were less convinced, with a comment on Express.co.uk stating, “Wilder feels like a Hollywood choice, not Geordie!” The middle name, Patrick, was seen as a nod to Ant’s Irish heritage or possibly his late father, Raymond, grounding the unconventional first name in family tradition (Mirror Online, May 14, 2024).
Anne-Marie, 46, played a significant role in choosing the name, reflecting her confidence as a mother of three (Mirror Online, April 25, 2024). “Anne-Marie wanted something unique that stood out, like their love story,” an insider told OK! Magazine (May 14, 2024). The name also resonated with Ant’s playful persona, seen in his Britain’s Got Talent antics, and the couple’s shared love for adventure, evident in their Australian outings with Wilder (Daily Mail, December 13, 2024). The announcement post, garnering 55,000 likes in minutes, featured a black-and-white photo of Ant cradling Wilder, revealing a family tree tattoo honoring Anne-Marie, Daisy, Poppy, and their dogs, Milo, Bumble, and Hurley (HELLO!, May 26, 2024).
Ant’s emotional journey as a first-time father at 48 has been well-documented. He admitted to Fault Magazine (February 2024) that pausing Saturday Night Takeaway was partly to focus on family, saying, “We need time to spend with our children” (Fault Magazine, February 2024). His joy was palpable at the National Television Awards in September 2024, where he gushed, “I’m loving it. It’s been the best year” (Daily Star, September 2024). Yet, fatherhood brought vulnerabilities, amplified by the hospital visit and past struggles, including his 2018 drink-driving incident and addiction recovery (Wikipedia, November 23, 2024). Anne-Marie’s strength as a “legend” mother, as Ant called her, has been a stabilizing force (Independent, May 15, 2024).
The public’s fascination with Wilder’s name ties into Ant’s broader narrative of resilience, much like the acts of kindness by figures like Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves, whom Ant admires. Fans on X praised the name’s boldness, with one writing, “Wilder Patrick is a future star, just like his dad!” Others speculated it might inspire a new generation of unique names among celebrity circles. Ant’s hospital tears, while private, reflect the emotional depth of a man embracing fatherhood while facing life’s challenges. As he and Anne-Marie raise Wilder in their £6 million Wimbledon home (HELLO!, November 21, 2024), their story remains one of love, surprises, and heartfelt connection.
