Ant McPartlin and Anne-Marie all smiles after quitting show to 'focus on family'

27 February 2024 , 12:23

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Ant McPartlin and his wife, Anne-Marie couldn't stop smiling on Saturday as they revealed their plans to 'focus on family'. (Image: JAMES CURLEY AND MAGICMOMENTSUK)

Ant McPartlin and his wife, Anne-Marie, couldn't stop smiling on Saturday as they revealed their plans to 'focus on family'.

Viewers were stunned when Ant, 48, and his best pal, Declan Donnelly, also 48, announced they were quitting the popular ITV show Saturday Night Takeaway earlier this year before Ant revealed: "We need to spend some time with our family".

Ant and P.A Anne-Marie, who got hitched in 2021, have been looking very loved-up in recent snaps and looked delighted with life as they were papped on the weekend. Anne-Marie flashed a grin for the cameras from the back of the car, sporting a black and white varsity jacket and holding a water bottle. Ant was also all smiles and dressed casually in a navy coat, slacks and white trainers.

Ant McPartlin and his wife, Anne-Marie looked delighted with life as they left the ITV studios (JAMES CURLEY AND MAGICMOMENTSUK)

In May 2023, the Geordie duo announced that they were taking a break from the popular prime time TV show, as they shared they wanted to "catch our breath" whilst putting the multi-BAFTA-award-winning show on "pause".

Speaking earlier this week, Ant spoke about the reason for calling time on the popular series. "On a more personal level, part of the reason we're pausing Takeaway is we need a break ourselves, and we need to spend some time with our family," the TV star admitted. He added to Fault magazine : "We've both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit. We need time to think and, and time to step back and look at the bigger picture and just see where we are now."

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Ahead of the new series, he also opened up about how the show reminded him just how important "togetherness" is. "The shows you grow up on stay with you for the rest of your life,” Ant told The Sun. “I remember being babysat by my nanna when my mum would go out on a Saturday night and we’d watch Noel’s House Party, Game For A Laugh and Blind Date.

"I remember that fondly because she used to love those shows and we used to watch them together. You can watch Takeaway with you grandma and your kids."

They were chauffeur-driven home after Saturday Night Takeaway (JAMES CURLEY AND MAGICMOMENTSUK)

Dec joked that his wife, Ali Astall, and Ant's wife "need us to be at home". “We need a little rest!” Dec said. “We’ve paused it in the past and series 20 felt like a good time to catch our breath and look at the bigger picture. Takeaway is a bit like a hamster wheel when you’re in it. It just keeps going."

Ant has two stepdaughters from Anne-Marie's first marriage, who he is said to share a close bond with. Speaking to The Telegraph about the girls, he said: "I've got two step-daughters, 13 and 15 and they are more socially aware at that age than I was in my mid-20s. Than I still am."

He added: "It's not going to be our generation that saves the world. Look at Greta Thunberg, single-handedly almost making the world aware of climate change. It's that kind of energy that this generation has got and they'll save the rest of us. We're just trying to make it easier for them."

Victoria Johns