Entertainment

Ant McPartlin says ‘it’s good to be back’ as I’m A Celebrity starts

Dec joked that he thought he might have to host the series with Holly Willoughby.
Dec joked that he thought he might have to host the series with Holly Willoughby. Dec joked that he thought he might have to host the series with Holly Willoughby.

Ant McPartlin declared it was “good to be back” as he returned to television screens for the first time since his stint in rehab.

The star appeared alongside his co-presenter Declan Donnelly as the 2017 series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! got under way on ITV.

The pair addressed McPartlin’s time in rehab at the start of the show, with Donnelly joking that he would be co-hosting the reality programme with Holly Willoughby.

As McPartlin looked incredulous, asking “What?!”, Donnelly explained it was an old script, saying: “Well nobody was sure if you would make it or not.”

McPartlin – who had treatment following his two-year addiction to painkillers – said he was always going to return, saying: “I’m back my friend” as they hugged.

He added that it was “good to be back”.

The line-up of hopefuls this year includes Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine and Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas, along with Made In Chelsea’s Georgia “Toff” Toffolo and comedian Shappi Khorsandi.

They are joined by Boris Johnson’s father Stanley Johnson, boxer Amir Khan, Saturdays singer Vanessa White and YouTube personality Jack Maynard.

From the sports world, ex-footballer Dennis Wise and Rebekah Vardy, wife of England footballer Jamie, are also taking part.