I’m A Celebrity Filming Has Been Delayed To Allow Ant McPartlin Recover From Drug Addiction

"It would have been the first day filming..."

Ant McPartlin, one half of our favourite comedy duo Ant and Dec, was admitted to rehab in June due to prescription drug addiction. At the time, the I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here co-host told The Sun On Sunday, “I was at the point where anything — prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs — I would take. And take them with alcohol, which is ridiculous. The doctors told me, ‘You could have killed yourself.’”

Fans of the star feared not only for his health but also for the future of this year’s I’m A Celeb. Ant and Dec usually spend six weeks of the year hosting the reality show in Australia, but with Ant being so unwell, people were unsure whether or not filming would go ahead.

It has recently been confirmed that Ant will in fact return to host the show, but production has been slightly delayed to allow for his full recovery. The 41-year-old voluntarily entered a UK rehab facility for eight weeks, and is now continuing his treatment in Los Angeles.

A promotional shoot was scheduled to take place this week at London’s Pinewood Studios, but ITV bosses have decided to postpone this until Ant has returned to the UK. An insider told the Sun that, “It would have been the first day filming but with Ant away there is no way they could get started. He’s gone to get away from the spotlight. He’s in recovery and it’s important he has time and space.”

We look forward to seeing him back on our screens, in full health, really soon!