Declan Donnelly acknowledged Ant McPartlin’s absence as he opened Saturday Night Takeaway on its return. The presenter is without his normal sidekick after Ant stepped down from his TV commitments when he was charged with drink driving earlier this month. The pair teamed up to offer a surprise to audience member Diane for This Time Next Takeaway, which involved the surprised guest’s family members. Hours before the live show, the programme’s official Twitter account previewed the script which confirmed Dec would be hosting alone. McPartlin has stepped back from his TV commitments and returned to rehab after he was charged with drink driving earlier this month.

Source: Irish Examiner March 31, 2018 18:22 UTC