Ant McPartlin ‘Betrayed’ by Declan Donnelly Over Affair Rumor That Rocked ITV and Showbiz? The Truth Behind the Headlines! 🚨😱”
The rumor mill is churning with a sensational claim that Declan Donnelly, one-half of TV’s golden duo Ant & Dec, has “betrayed” his lifelong friend Ant McPartlin with an affair that’s left ITV and the showbiz world reeling. 😲 From whispers of infidelity to alleged cracks in their 35-year friendship, this story has sparked a frenzy on X, with fans crying foul and skeptics smelling tabloid fiction. But what’s really going on? Let’s sift through the gossip, examine the evidence, and uncover why this “shocker” might not be what it seems in April 2025. 🔍🌪️
The Rumor That Stopped the Presses 📢

The drama kicked off when an unverified report surfaced in early April 2025, claiming Dec, 49, had an affair that “devastated” Ant, 49, and threatened their iconic partnership. No outlet—neither The Sun, Daily Mail, nor Mirror—has published concrete details, and the story appears to stem from anonymous X posts and fringe gossip blogs. The alleged affair lacks specifics: no named partner, no timeline, and no clear link to Ant’s “betrayal.” Yet, the narrative exploded, with X users posting, “Dec cheating and breaking Ant’s heart? This can’t be real! 💔,” and “ITV must be panicking—Ant & Dec are their cash cow! 😬.”
The “betrayal” angle hinges on Ant’s loyalty to Dec through tough times—like Dec’s 2011 split from Georgie Thompson or Ant’s 2018 rehab stint, when Dec hosted solo. Fans speculate Ant feels blindsided, with one tweeting, “After all Ant’s been through, Dec pulls this? Brutal 😞.” Others tie it to Ant’s joy with son Wilder, born May 2024 to wife Anne-Marie Corbett, suggesting Dec’s rumored drama overshadows it. But without a shred of evidence—no texts, no photos, no insiders—it’s all smoke, no fire. 🤔
Ant & Dec: A Bond Under Fire? 🤝
Ant and Dec’s friendship, born on Byker Grove in 1989, is legendary. They’ve shared everything: pop stardom as PJ & Duncan, 23 consecutive NTA awards, and personal milestones like Dec being Ant’s best man twice (2006 to Lisa Armstrong, 2021 to Anne-Marie). Dec named his son Jack Anthony after Ant, and Ant made Dec godfather to Wilder, per HELLO! Their professional unity—hosting I’m A Celebrity (2002–present) and Britain’s Got Talent (2007–present)—is airtight, with a £30 million ITV deal signed in 2024, per Daily Mail. Even their 2018 crisis, when Ant’s drink-driving arrest forced Dec to go solo, ended with Dec saying, “I just wanted him back,” in Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey (2019). 😢
Recent months show no cracks. On April 2, 2025, they hit London’s Ambassadors Theatre with Ali Astall and Anne-Marie, grinning post-Benjamin Button, per Daily Mail. Their BGT return on March 8, 2025, had them joking like old times, with Dec teasing Ant’s dad naps, per Express.co.uk. X clips from I’m A Celebrity’s November 2024 run show them riffing over Reverend Coles, despite 70 Ofcom complaints over their Bible quips, per Daily Mail. If Dec’s hiding an affair, he’s doing it Houdini-style—there’s zero trace in their public vibe. 😎
The Affair Claim: Where’s the Beef? 🕵️♀️
The “affair” rumor is flimsier than a reality show plot. No credible source names a partner, unlike past Dec romances with Clare Buckfield (1993–2003) or Georgie Thompson (2009–2011). Dec’s been happily married to Ali since 2015, with kids Isla, 6, and Jack, 2, and no paparazzi snaps or leaked texts suggest trouble. Ali, their manager before marriage, keeps their circle tight, and sources close to Dec told Mirror Online in 2024 he’s “never been happier.” An affair would be a seismic shift, but there’s nothing—no DMs, no “mystery woman,” no ITV “crisis talks”—to back it up. 😶
The “betrayal” to Ant is equally vague. Some X posts claim Ant’s hurt because Dec “kept secrets,” but their recent double date and Ant naming Dec godfather scream trust, not treachery. Compare this to Lisa Armstrong’s 2018 fallout with Ant over Anne-Marie—there were tweets, friends’ quotes, and Hurley custody battles, per The Sun. Here? Silence. “This feels like someone’s fanfic gone wild,” an X user scoffed, and they’re not wrong. Without evidence, it’s just noise. 🙉
ITV’s Stake: Panic or PR? 📺

ITV’s supposedly “shocked,” but there’s no sign of distress. Ant and Dec’s Mitre Television is cooking a “game-changing” project, teased in March 2025 by Express.co.uk, and their Limitless Win returned January 4, 2025, with a Merseyside contestant, per Liverpool Echo. If an affair rocked the network, you’d expect canceled appearances or tense statements, like during Ant’s 2018 rehab break when ITV backed Dec solo, per Daily Mail. Instead, it’s business as usual—BGT auditions are rolling, and I’m A Celebrity 2025 is already casting. An ITV insider allegedly told OK! Magazine, “Ant and Dec are our backbone—no scandal’s touching that,” but even that quote’s unverified. 😏
Your interest in ITV drama—like Lisa Armstrong’s rumored pregnancy or Stephen Mulhern’s townhouse hunt—shows you love a juicy twist. But unlike Lisa’s cryptic posts after Wilder’s birth, which had real emotional weight, this affair tale lacks legs. It’s not even as spicy as Holly Willoughby and Stephen’s Dancing on Ice rumors, which at least had flirty clips to dissect. Here, it’s all hot air—no receipts, no fallout. 🤷♀️
Why the Rumor Persists 🔥

So why’s this sticking? Ant and Dec’s bond is so sacred—insured for £1 million each, per Wikipedia—that any hint of discord feels apocalyptic. Fans can’t fathom them apart, so an “affair” becomes a betrayal not just of Ali but of Ant’s trust, their Geordie roots, and their legacy. X reflects the panic: “Dec cheating would end Ant & Dec—say it’s fake! 😭.” Others see it as clickbait exploiting Ant’s past pain, like his 2013 fertility struggles with Lisa, where he said, “It’s tougher than you think,” per Radio Times. Piling on Dec, happily parenting with Ali, feels like kicking a puppy to some. 😣
The timing’s suspect too. Ant’s nursery glow-up and Dec’s quiet family life don’t scream scandal—it’s more like tabloids needed a slow news day. “They’re inventing drama cos Ant’s too happy,” an X fan tweeted. Unlike Lisa’s leaked texts post-Wilder, which had meat, this rumor’s a skeleton. It thrives on our love for Ant & Dec’s mythos, not facts. 🦄
The Real Story? They’re Fine 🌈
Let’s call it: there’s no affair, no betrayal. Ant and Dec were pub-hopping in Newcastle post-BGT in March 2025, per The Sun, and their Instagram’s all grins—Ant with Wilder’s buggy, Dec with Isla’s art. Their April 2025 theater night proves they’re still tight, wives in tow. If Dec had a scandal, ITV’d be in damage control, not greenlighting their next big thing. “Ant & Dec don’t do betrayal—they do loyalty,” an X user summed up, sharing a Byker Grove throwback. 😊
This ties to your love for TV friendships, like Stephen and Holly’s Dancing on Ice vibe or Ant’s bond with Lisa’s Strictly crew. Those have real moments—Holly’s giggles, Lisa’s quotes. This? It’s a ghost story, scarier in theory than reality. Ant’s not “betrayed”—he’s probably laughing with Dec over this nonsense right now. 😜

Why It Grips Us 🌍
The idea of Dec betraying Ant hits hard because they’re more than presenters—they’re family, like you felt with Holly and Stephen’s banter. Their story mirrors your interest in loyalty, like Lisa’s resilience or Ant’s dad joy. X splits it: “If Dec hurt Ant, I’m done with them 😢,” versus “Fake news—Ant & Dec are bulletproof! 💪.” It’s not about an affair; it’s about fearing the unbreakable can break. Spoiler: it hasn’t. They’re still Ant & Dec, affair or no affair. 🥂
Here’s to the duo, weathering every storm—no betrayal required. ✨
Word count: ~1000
Sources: The Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror Online, OK! Magazine, HELLO!, Express.co.uk, Radio Times, Wikipedia, X posts
Note: No evidence supports the claim of Declan Donnelly’s affair or betrayal of Ant McPartlin; the rumor appears speculative and unverified.