Ant McPartlin is leaning on his best mate Declan Donnelly for support and they’re already planning play dates with baby Wilder.
The award-winning duo, who first became friends on the set of the nineties kids TV show Byker Grove, have been inseparable for the past 35 years. Now, as Ant embarks on this joyous new chapter in his life, there’s a new “little Ant and Dec” duo in the making.
Last week, the 48-year-old presenter announced on their joint social media account that his wife Anne-Marie Corbett, 46, had given birth to Wilder Patrick McPartlin on 14 May, a much-loved little brother for Anne-Marie’s daughters, Poppy and Daisy.
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The proud new father and stepfather shared a beautiful black-and-white photo of him and Wilder, captioning it: “Baby is beautiful, Mummy’s a legend, Sisters are over the moon. Dad’s a mess!” He has reportedly already asked Dec, also 48, to be godfather to his son, further strengthening their bond.
(Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
A source told OK!: “Dec is obviously so excited for Ant and has already been giving him advice – mainly how to deal with sleepless nights. He can’t wait to take on the role of godfather and he’s promised to take his duties very seriously.”
The insider revealed that Ant, who was previously married to makeup artist Lisa Armstrong, had “always” intended to make Dec godfather to any biological children he might have. In a touching tribute to their friendship, Dec’s son, Jack, even has Anthony as a middle name.
(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Dec, who referred to Ant as the “best friend a man could have” in his best man’s speech at Ant’s 2021 wedding to Anne-Marie, is a father of two with his wife Ali Astall. They have a four-year-old daughter named Isla and a son, Jack, who will be two in July.
An insider revealed that Dec’s children are delighted to have a new playmate in the McPartlin-Donnelly clan, and the parents are already planning joint summer holidays to their neighbouring holiday homes in Portugal.
“Wilder will practically be like a nephew to Dec, and he and Ant are excited for their boys to grow up together as there’s less than two years between Wilder and Dec’s son Jack – they want them to become as close as they are,” the source added.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Also, Dec’s little girl Isla loves babies and is very pleased there is another baby around. They’re planning lots of playdates and family holidays they’re all hoping to spend most of the summer in Portugal as they always do and are all excited for Wilder’s first holiday. Dec has also joked that Ant and Anne-Marie won’t need to spend a fortune on clothes, as they can have all of Jack’s hand-me-downs!”
A close pal revealed that Dec admires Ant’s resilience and is buzzing about what’s next now that they’re both dads. “He’s proud of how Ant has bounced back from all of his issues and is delighted for him and Anne-Marie, he knows fatherhood will be the making of Ant,” the insider shared.
The duo are set to experience fatherhood together, with Ant stepping up as a stepdad to Daisy and Poppy, and now they can bond over parenting milestones like nursery and school starts. “It’s time for both of them for their careers to take a back seat as they concentrate fully on family life. Although, Dec says that Ant has an added bonus, as they’ve already got two live-in babysitters with Anne-Marie’s daughters.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
