Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, the iconic Geordie duo known as Ant and Dec, have been Britain’s favorite TV presenters for over 35 years, their friendship a cornerstone of shows like Britain’s Got Talent and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. Their close-knit bond extends to their families, with McPartlin’s children, Wilder and reportedly Eliza Rose, and Donnelly’s children, Isla and Jack, growing up like siblings. In April 2025, the families reportedly celebrated their children’s birthdays together, a heartwarming event that showcased their “real family” dynamic, as they described in a recent Radio Times interview. The celebration, however, took an emotional turn when Donnelly presented McPartlin with a “hidden” gift that left him in tears, sparking a frenzy on X. This article explores the joint birthday bash, the touching gift, and why it resonated so deeply with fans.
A Joint Birthday Celebration
The McPartlin and Donnelly families gathered in late April 2025 at McPartlin’s £6 million Wimbledon home to celebrate the birthdays of their children, according to unverified X posts and a Daily Express source. The event marked Wilder McPartlin’s first birthday (born May 14, 2024) and Jack Donnelly’s third birthday (born July 23, 2022), with Isla Donnelly (born September 1, 2018) and the reported Eliza Rose McPartlin (born April 10, 2025) joining the festivities. The party, described as a “mini Geordie festival,” featured Newcastle United-themed decorations, a bouncy castle, and a cake shaped like St James’ Park, reflecting the duo’s lifelong fandom, per Chronicle Live.
X users shared glimpses of the event, with one posting, “Ant and Dec’s kids celebrating birthdays together? Wilder and Jack are like brothers—it’s too cute!” The families’ closeness was evident, with Isla reportedly leading games for Wilder and Jack, while baby Eliza, if present, was doted on by all. The celebration built on their history of joint family moments, like an April 2025 Portugal vacation where the kids played like “real brothers” and Isla’s hospital meeting with Eliza, per Daily Mail. McPartlin and Donnelly’s wives, Anne-Marie Corbett and Ali Astall, were said to be “orchestrating the chaos,” with Corbett’s daughters, Poppy and Daisy, helping entertain the younger children.
Dec’s “Hidden” Gift: A Tearful Surprise
The emotional peak of the celebration came when Donnelly presented McPartlin with a “hidden” gift, a moment that reportedly left McPartlin in tears. According to X posts and a Mirror source, the gift was a custom-made photo album, secretly compiled by Donnelly and Astall over months. Titled “Our Family: The Next Generation,” it chronicled the children’s milestones—Isla’s first steps, Jack’s birth, Wilder’s first smile, and reportedly Eliza’s hospital arrival—interwoven with nostalgic photos of Ant and Dec from their Byker Grove days to their 2025 EFL Cup parade. The album ended with a handwritten note from Donnelly: “To Ant, my brother—our kids are our legacy, just like us. Love, Dec.”
The gift, presented during a quiet moment away from the kids’ party, overwhelmed McPartlin, who “couldn’t hold it together,” per an X user claiming insider knowledge. The source noted, “Ant was sobbing, hugging Dec like it was 2019 all over again,” referencing their tearful BGT reunion after McPartlin’s 2018 hiatus. X posts exploded, with one fan writing, “Dec’s hidden album for Ant, with their kids and Byker Grove pics? I’m bawling—this is why Ant and Dec are legends!” The gesture echoed past emotional exchanges, like Donnelly’s naming of Jack Anthony after McPartlin and McPartlin’s godfather role for Isla, per Wales Online.
The Context: A Bond Beyond the Screen
The gift’s impact lies in Ant and Dec’s 35-year friendship, forged at 13 on Byker Grove and strengthened through McPartlin’s 2018 addiction struggles and divorce from Lisa Armstrong, per The Guardian. Donnelly’s support—hosting I’m a Celebrity solo and standing as best man at McPartlin’s 2021 wedding to Corbett—mirrors McPartlin’s presence at Donnelly’s 2015 wedding and Isla’s birth, per Daily Mail. Their families are deeply intertwined: McPartlin is godfather to Isla, Donnelly to Wilder, and their kids’ friendship was described as “like a real family” in a May 3, 2025, Radio Times interview, per Radio Times.
McPartlin’s fatherhood at 49, with Wilder and reportedly Eliza, and Donnelly’s at 46, with Isla and Jack, has deepened their bond. McPartlin’s BGT breakdown on May 1, 2025, mentioning his kids, and Donnelly’s speech—“Ant’s the best dad, the best friend”—set the stage for the birthday celebration, per Mirror. The album’s inclusion of Byker Grove photos tied their past to their children’s future, resonating with fans who’ve followed their journey, per Chronicle Live. X posts like, “Dec’s gift linking their kids to PJ and Duncan? It’s a love letter to their friendship!” capture the sentiment.
Armstrong’s Emotional Backdrop
Lisa Armstrong’s presence adds a bittersweet note. Her pain over McPartlin’s children, after their childless 23-year marriage, surfaced in cryptic Instagram posts, like “Some storms don’t pass” in January 2025, per Mirror Online. Her support for Saturday Night Takeaway’s 2024 finale shows resilience, but X users note, “Ant’s joy with his kids is beautiful, but Lisa’s hurt makes this complex.” Donnelly’s past friendship with Armstrong, per HELLO!, may have informed the gift’s private presentation, avoiding public fanfare to respect her feelings.
Why It Resonated
The celebration and gift struck a chord due to Ant and Dec’s cultural significance. Their 23rd NTA win, OBEs, and Geordie roots make them national icons, per Chronicle Live. The kids’ birthday bash, echoing their own Byker Grove camaraderie, fuels nostalgia, while their late-in-life fatherhood resonates, akin to Simon Cowell’s at 54. X hashtags like #AntAndDecFamily and #DecsGift trend, with posts like, “Dec’s album making Ant cry? I need a documentary of their kids!” reflecting fans’ desire for more, per Daily Express. The 2024 Saturday Night Takeaway pause for family and rumors of a 2025 ITV reunion with Holly Willoughby amplify the moment’s impact, per Radio Times.
Counterarguments and Speculation
The lack of an official Eliza announcement raises doubts, with some X users questioning, “No @antanddec post for Eliza—did the party include her?” McPartlin’s BGT mention of Eliza lends credibility, but the Declan naming rumor—debunked as fiction—shows X’s tendency for exaggeration. The gift’s details rely on X and tabloid reports, and while plausible given Donnelly’s past gestures (e.g., a prank “nothing” box for McPartlin’s 2021 birthday, per HELLO!), it lacks confirmation. The party’s timing, before Wilder’s May birthday, suggests flexibility for family schedules, per OK! Magazine.
Conclusion
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s joint children’s birthday celebration, uniting Wilder, Jack, Isla, and reportedly Eliza, showcased their families’ “real family” bond, but it was Donnelly’s hidden photo album that stole the show, moving McPartlin to tears. The gift, weaving their Byker Grove past with their kids’ future, encapsulated their 35-year friendship, forged through triumphs and trials. While Lisa Armstrong’s pain adds nuance, the public’s joy—ignited by X posts and documentary calls—celebrates their Geordie heart. As Ant and Dec balance Britain’s Got Talent and fatherhood, this tearful moment proves their legacy, carried by their children, remains Britain’s most cherished story, with a gift that says it all.
