There are no credible reports or evidence confirming that Ant McPartlin secretly documented his baby journey in unseen footage or that ITV is planning an emotional special episode about it. The claim appears to be speculative or fabricated, possibly inspired by Ant’s high-profile journey to fatherhood and his history with ITV specials, such as Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey (Daily Mail, November 11, 2019). Below, I address the query by exploring Ant’s baby journey, the context of his public life, and why such a special is unlikely based on available information, while providing a factual account of his experience as a new father.
Ant McPartlin, one half of the beloved presenting duo Ant and Dec, welcomed his first child, Wilder Patrick McPartlin, with wife Anne-Marie Corbett on May 14, 2024 (Sky News, May 14, 2024). The birth was a milestone for Ant, who became a father at 48 after years of fertility struggles with ex-wife Lisa Armstrong (Mirror Online, May 14, 2024). He announced Wilder’s arrival on Instagram, sharing a black-and-white photo and captioning it, “Welcome to the family. Wilder Patrick Mcpartlin. Born, 14/05/24 at 8.54am. Baby is beautiful, Mummy’s a legend, Sisters are over the moon. Dad’s a mess!” (Instagram/@antanddec, May 14, 2024). The middle name, Patrick, honored Anne-Marie’s late father, Paddy, a touching tribute that moved Ant’s co-presenter Declan Donnelly to tears (Daily Mail, May 15, 2024).
Ant’s journey to fatherhood has been public but carefully curated, with no indication of secretly filmed footage. He shared milestones sparingly, such as a coffee date in Australia with Anne-Marie and seven-month-old Wilder during I’m a Celebrity filming (Daily Mail, December 13, 2024) and a family tree tattoo revealed in the birth announcement, honoring Anne-Marie, her daughters Daisy and Poppy, and their dogs (HELLO!, May 26, 2024). These glimpses were deliberate, aligning with Ant’s preference for privacy after past media scrutiny, including his 2018 drink-driving incident and addiction recovery (Wikipedia, November 23, 2024).
ITV has a history of producing specials with Ant and Dec, like Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey, which explored their ancestry and revealed their distant cousinship (Daily Mail, November 11, 2019). However, no reports from outlets like The Mirror, The Sun, or Digital Spy mention plans for a baby journey special. Ant’s focus has been on balancing fatherhood with work, as seen in his decision to pause Saturday Night Takeaway to prioritize family (OK! Magazine, May 14, 2024). A source told The Sun that Ant felt “homesick” while filming in Australia, highlighting his emotional connection to Wilder and Anne-Marie, but there was no mention of documenting this for broadcast (Daily Record, November 18, 2024).
The idea of “unseen footage” may stem from Ant’s emotional openness, such as his joy at the National Television Awards, where he said, “It’s been the best year” (Daily Star, September 2024), or speculation about his private life, similar to Stephen Mulhern’s recent candidness (The Guardian, March 2025). However, Ant’s guarded approach to personal matters—evident in his limited comments about Wilder—makes a secretly filmed documentary unlikely. ITV’s current slate, including Limitless Win and I’m a Celebrity, shows no sign of such a project (Liverpool Echo, January 4, 2025).
Fans on X have expressed excitement about Ant’s fatherhood, with posts like “Ant as a dad is everything! Wilder’s gonna be a star” (post:1), but none reference a special episode. The absence of concrete reports, combined with Ant’s privacy, suggests this narrative is more fan-driven than factual. If you have specific sources or details about this claim, I can investigate further. For now, Ant’s baby journey remains a personal triumph, shared selectively with fans, much like the quiet resilience of Johnny Depp, whom he admires.
