Following Ant McPartlin's break from the limelight after his well-documented drink-driving offence in March, the latest series of Britain's Got Talent has been left up in the air with regards to the TV star's participation. And while it has been assumed up until now that Ant will not be appearing in the popular ITV talent show alongside best friend and comedy partner Declan Donnelly, the latest BGT press release hints that this is not quite the case, as the show looks set to count on him throughout the series.
Joining judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon, the show teases that both Ant and Dec will be "waiting in the wings to provide support and congratulations to each of the acts performing for the judges." It also says that viewers can expect to see "Ant and Dec getting up to more nonsense backstage," while magician Stephen Mulhern helps the double act relive their years on SM:TV Live playing Wonky Donkey, as well as challenging them to a game of golf.
Will Ant and Dec be renuited for Britain's Got Talent after all?
Although neither Ant or Dec have spoken out about the latest series, Simon joked that the pair's OBE, along with David's recently awarded accolade, will soon mean that he is the "only person without anything." He said: "I know what's coming next – it'll be Alesha and Amanda. I will literally be the only person without anything. I can see this one coming. It's annoying. It really is, and they don’t let it go!"
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The Britain's Got Talent crew have already done auditions around the UK
Joking asides, it sounds like the entire BGT team get on famously, despite rumoured rifts between Ant and Amanda earlier in the year during filming. Amanda said of the chemistry backstage: "Yes, there’s a genuine, natural, rapport and chemistry between us. We’ve all got a really good sense of humour. We take the mick out of each other, nothing’s taken seriously, if anyone’s in a mood we cheer them up. When it comes to Simon, we’re the court jesters and he’s the king."
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The mother-of-two also gave an insight into travelling on a private jet with the rest of the team to the auditions. She said: "It’s sort of fun! It used to be that Alesha and I would sit with Simon and David but now Ant and Dec are involved, all the boys sit down one end but me and Alesha have more fun because we’re up the other end with the PAs and we’ve got the chocolates, bags of crisps and red wine, screaming with laughter. I think they all talk business down the other end. So unless their voices lower, that’s when me and Alesha go down to make sure we’re not missing any gossip, I think we have more fun anyway."
