Ant and Dec spoke out in first podcast interview(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Declan Donnelly has spoken for the first time about his silent health battle. The TV star shared he has “constant anxiety” and the feeling that he should always be doing something, admitting he “can never sit down”. Donnelly revealed that he sought therapy around five or six years ago and found it incredibly beneficial. The revelation came during an appearance on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, where he was joined by his co-host and long-time friend Anthony McPartlin.
The duo, famously known as Ant and Dec, rose to stardom in their teenage years. They discussed fatherhood and how they’ve grown to appreciate their enduring careers more as they’ve aged. When questioned about his mental health, I’m A Celebrity host Donnelly confessed: “I struggle a bit with, it’s kind of a low level, constant anxiety about ‘should be doing this’ or ‘I’ve got to be doing…
“I never feel I can sit down and just watch telly, I always feel like I should be doing something else. There’s that anxiety that there’s a job that needs to be done somewhere and I should be doing it.
“I struggle with that a lot, with trying to calm that voice in the back of your head that’s going, ‘no, you should be using this time more productively’. I went through a period of having therapy about five, five or six years ago. I really got a lot out of it. I really enjoyed it.”
Ant and Dec are bringing out their own Podcast series(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Donnelly shared that after taking a break from therapy, when he tried to book another session, the therapist informed him that he couldn’t see him.
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He added: “He did recommend somebody else and I’ve still got those details, I just haven’t managed to make an appointment yet.”
Donnelly, marking his first-ever appearance on a podcast, emphasised that they take their roles “incredibly seriously”.
The Geordie duo has fronted numerous primetime entertainment shows over the years, including Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain’s Got Talent and Ant And Dec’s Limitless Win.
Donnelly shared: “When we’re looking at projects, we always look at how can we get the whole family together?”.
“To entertain the whole family is no mean feat, and you’ve got to try and grab each generation and entertain them. It’s entertainment, it’s fun, but we take it incredibly seriously.”
McPartlin chimed in: “We do the best job in the world. We have a laugh every day.m We’ve hosted some turkeys over the years. It hasn’t always been a success. t’s a privilege to be in someone’s living room on a Saturday night hosting a big show.”
