Ant McPartlin almost quit TV over childhood bullying – Daily TV round-up

Ant McPartlin has revealed that he may not have pursued his career in television, after he was bullied at school.

The 'Britain's Got Talent' and 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here' presenter made his first TV appearance on the 80s kid's show 'Why Don't You?', after his talent was spotted by his drama teacher, Lyn Spencer.

“I really enjoyed Why Don’t You, but I didn’t actually enjoy the aftermath of it, getting spotted in school, there was quite a lot of name calling and I found that kind of tough,” he told the Daily Mirror.

“So when they came to audition for Byker Grove, I didn’t want to do it.

[Ant and Dec still want to do sitcom]

“I hid the letter from my mam and a mate of mine back then grassed me to my mam and she frog-marched me down to The Mitre and said 'do the audition and if you don’t want it after that don’t do it, but put yourself in the position as you will kick yourself for the rest of your life if you don’t turn up.'

“She was right. I did it, I got the part and I liked it. I’ve never really looked back.

“My friend Craig grassed me up and I am very thankful for that.”

Ant joined the second series of the BBC children's drama, but initially did not get on with future TV partner Declan Donnelly.

“We would mess about and put each other off. I remember seeing Ant in the corner and thinking he’s got a bit of a miserable face,” said Donnelly.

“It’s not like we walked into the room and went 'you are hilarious', 'you are hilarious too’.

“But we quickly bonded over a love of Newcastle United and the latest releases at the Odeon.”

The pair now not only work together, but also live in the same road in West London. [Daily Mirror]

Also in today's press

ITV dating show 'Take Me Out' is celebrating its first contestant wedding. Adele Vellacott and Dave Cobain, who met on the show but were paired with other people, tied the knot in Monmouthshire, South Wales. [Daily Mail]

Famous prisoner Charles Bronson has been approached to be on 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here', should he ever be released. His brother Mark Peterson said: “He’d be great on TV, I think – he’s a very bright, charismatic man. Actually, a few years ago he was even approached to appear on 'I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!' should he ever get parole. And I can just imagine him on that. He’d be brilliant on that show because no matter what they’d find to throw at him he’d have already had it 100 times worse.” [WalesOnline]

Gary Linekar has admitted that his wage packet from the BBC is 'hard to justify'. The presenter, who is thought to earn around £2 million a year, said: “I can see why people criticise us for earning good money for doing what we enjoy. You can never really justify wages in the entertainment business, but it is what it is.” [GQ]