Anthony McPartlin has confirmed that he is stepping away from TV commitments to go back into rehab following a drink driving arrest on Sunday. The 42-year-old, who co-hosts Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, failed a breathalyser test following a collision involving three vehicles, in which a number of people were treated for minor injuries. Ant and Dec have released a statement, which read: "Ant has decided to go back into treatment and step down from his current TV commitments. He has spoken with Dec and ITV today and asked for time off for the foreseeable future. As such 'Saturday Night Takeaway' will not be going ahead this Saturday."
Ant is going back into rehab
Speaking about the situation, an ITV spokesperson said: "ITV has taken a joint decision with Ant and Dec's team not to broadcast Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend. We will be reviewing options for the last two episodes of the series… which would not feature Ant who is taking time off to seek treatment. We very much hope that he gets the help that he needs."
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ITV previously stood by Ant after he entered rehab last summer, stating that he would be given "all the time in the world" to recover from his struggle with painkiller and alcohol addiction. Speaking about his decision to enter rehab back in June 2017, Ant said: "The first step is to admit to yourself you need help. I feel like I have let a lot of people down and for that I am truly sorry. I want to thank my wife, family and closest friends for helping me through this really difficult time." The star's struggle first started when he suffered constant pain after having an operation on his knee.
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