Declan Donnelly and wife Ali Astall are all smiles as they enjoy loved-up date night
DECLAN Donnelly and wife Ali Astall were all smiles as they stepped out for a date night in London.
The I’m A Celeb presenter, 48, flashed a cheeky grin as he arrived at swanky Mayfair eatery Bacchanalia alongside his wife of nine years.
Dec wore a short-sleeve blue shirt emblazoned with white stitching detail as he tried to keep cool in the heat in the UK capital.
He finished off his look with dark trousers and a black wristwatch.
His spouse happily strolled alongside, wearing a pink floral maxi dress.
Ali, 45, accessorised with a cream Chanel bag and nude heeled sandals as she headed into the eatery, which specialises in Mediterranean and Greek food.
The mum of two left her blonde hair in a poker straight style and made sure her summer look was on-point with a hot pink manicure and pedicure.
Back in spring, the pair were spotted enjoying another rare child-free night out at the Baftas.
They enjoy some quality time together and were seen back in Mayfair in January after a meal at Park Chinoise.
OPENING UP
Ali, who was born in Australia, worked as Dec‘s manager for more than a decade before they got together.
Speaking about their romance Dec previously told the Daily Express: “We always hung out.
“When she was single and I was single we’d go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day together.
“Last year we went out as a couple.
“It was a little strange because we’ve had a working relationship for so long.”
She works for celebrity agency YMU alongside Ant’s wife Anne-Marie Corbett.
Ant and Dec's incredible career
ANT McPartlin and Declan Donnelly met on the set of Byker Grove in 1990.
The two went on to have chart success under their characters’ names – including their 1994 No1 smash hit Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble.
They haven’t looked back since then, going on to present some of the most popular shows on TV.
Here’s a rundown of some of their most popular shows – plus one “dud”.
- The Ant & Dec Show – this late afternoon kids’ entertainment series ran from 1995-1996 for 17 episodes
- Ant & Dec Unzipped – the twosome jumped from ITV to Channel 4 for this children’s sketch show in 1997
- SM:TV Live – the duo teamed up with Cat Deeley in 1998 for Saturday morning mayhem including the classic Wonkey Donkey game
- Friends Like These – the Geordie pair hopped channels again, landing on BBC One to present this game show from 1999 until 2001
- Pop Idol – before The X Factor there was Pop Idol, which ran for two seasons in 2001 and 2002 and saw Michelle McManus and Will Young crowned the winners
- I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here – the reality TV show began in 2002, with Dec presenting all 23 seasons, even one without sidekick Ant as Holly Willoughby stepped up
- Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway – this show also began in 2002, but the lads said the 2024 offering would be their last
- PokerFace – Ant and Dec created this game show which aired from 2006-2007. with a top prize of £1million.
- Britain’s Got Talent – the TV series began in 2007 with the pair’s backstage antics loved by fans. They also took part in silly competitions on Stephen Mulhern‘s ITV spin-off Britain’s Got More Talent
- Red Or Black – the show only aired for two seasons in 2011 and 2012. It was one of the pair’s rare “flops” with Dec admitting “we got it wrong”
- Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win – the pair had another success on their hands when this show hit screens in 2022
The couple got engaged in 2014 and tied the knot on August 1, 2015, at in an intimate ceremony in Newcastle.
Yet just a year later, Dec sparked scandal when he was spotted without his wedding ring on his TV show with BFF Ant McPartlin, Saturday Night Takeaway.
He later clarified the situation to The Mirror and said: “I didn’t realise until afterwards when someone said there’s a bit of a thing online.
“I left it upstairs in the dressing room – I didn’t think anyone would notice. It’s only a tiny little thing!
“There’s no drama – thank God. There’s nothing more sinister in it.”
The couple have two kids, with their first child Isla Elizabeth Anne Donnelly, born in September 2018.
The family then welcomed a son, Jack Anthony Alphonsus, in July 2022.
FINAL TAKEAWAY
Ant and Dec choked back tears as they wrapped their final episode of Saturday Night Takeaway earlier this year.
The show came to a close after a whopping 20 years.
Fans now believe the show will not return after spotting a key “clue.”
At the time, an emotional Declan told the live show audience: “We’ve truly adored every second . . . what’s happened is beyond our wildest dreams.”
Ant then said: “This is the kind of show Dec and I watched every Saturday night growing up, so it’s been an honour and a privilege to have made this show and to have been part of your Saturday nights for over 20 years.”
Dec added: “When we started back in 2002, we thought we’d be lucky if we got to do this for a couple of years — what’s happened is beyond our wildest dreams.
“We’ve truly adored every second but there’s one thing we’ve never, ever forgotten and that’s the fact this isn’t our show — it’s your show.
“So we’d like to say a massive thank you to you, our incredible audience.”
