Dec Donnelly will probably be Ant McPartlin’s best man at second wedding as ‘he was good last time’

Ant McPartlin has teased how he proposed to fiancée Anne-Marie Corbett, shared details – or lack thereof – of their wedding and addressed the matter of the best man postion.

Speaking to Digital Spy magazine, Ant and presenting partner Dec Donnelly spoke about who is likely to fill the coveted role at the ceremony.

‘[Dec] was very good last time. He has been my best man. I’ve been his best man,’ he Ant said, referencing his failed first marriage to Lisa Armstrong, which lasted from 2006-2018.

‘I think it’s between me and the dog!’ Dec joked.

Ant admitted that there has been very little planning done as of yet.

‘I suppose it depends on what kind of wedding we have. There’s been no plans,’ he said.

This is perhaps unsurprising as he only proposed in December, revealing: ‘It was a lovely way to end the year. I’m a romantic at heart.

‘You know, there were flowers, and afternoon tea in front of the Christmas tree. Lovely. It was lovely.’

Adding to this, wedding plans are in turmoil across the world as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. 

Their show Saturday Night Takeaway returns this weekend, also facing major format changes due to the coronavirus crisis.

Like many shows – such as The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent – the show will have a virtual wall in place of an audience.

‘Such a lot of this show is about the audience. So we have researched ways, and are coming up with ways, to do a much more interactive, virtual wall, more than any other show has done,’ Dec explained.

‘Our audience on the night, on the virtual wall, will be an interactive part of the show.

‘You don’t get that instant feedback, but that’s what we’re working on, on our virtual wall, to try and cut down delays to an absolute minimum and make it much more of a two-way exchange with our audience.’

The pair’s other major series – I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – had to face format changes last year as well.

Instead of flying to Australia to shoot in the jungle, the series aired at a derilict Welsh castle.  

Reflecting on this, Ant said: ‘If during coronavirus we have to stay put and do it in Wales again, I’d be very happy. We were very welcomed in Wales.

‘There were cardboard cut-outs of me and Dec in the butcher’s, and the local school did a tribute. We’d happily go back there. We’d miss the sunshine, mind.’

Dec added: ‘The people in Wales were lovely. They made us feel very welcome. I had a lovely time.

‘I will miss the sunshine, but I will not miss the jetlag of coming back from Australia. I’d love to go back to Oz. But if we had to go back to Wales, I wouldn’t be disappointed.’

On the celebrities they’d like to get on to the show, Ant admitted his dream star would be The A Team’s Mr T, while Dec said: ‘Don’t get me wrong, I loved it last year, and it was lovely, and I think it was the show we all needed.

‘However, I’d like a couple of grumpy celebs.’

The full Ant & Dec interview can be read in issue six of Digital Spy magazine, available now exclusively on Apple News+