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Britain’s Got Talent warm-up act Ian Royce thanks Ant and Dec for ‘£5,000 donation to rehab fund’



Comedian Ian Royce has thanked Britain’s Got Talent hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly after they reportedly donated £5,000 to help cover his stay in a rehab centre.

The Geordie duo are thought to have given £2,500 each to a GoFundMe campaign set up to raise money for Royce to stay at The Priory.

Royce, 50, is the regular warm-up act for Britain’s Got Talent and has entertained the audience at a number of ITV shows including The X Factor, Jonathan Ross and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

According to the GoFundMe page set up by his friend James Mace, the comic has struggled with alcoholism and suffered a brain injury while drunk.

Fundraising: Royce is the subject of a GoFundMe campaign (Can Nguyen/REX/Shutterstock)

“Our good friend Ian Royce (Roycey) is in desperate need of our help,” the page reads. “He is an alcoholic and has taken his first steps by admitting so.

“Ian is currently being treated for a brain injury that he received whilst under the influence.”

The campaign aims to raise £20,000 so that Royce can embark on a 28-day programme at the London-based rehab facility and continue treatment for his brain injury.

Posting on Twitter earlier today, Royce wrote: “Thank you Ant for your generous donation for getting me well… Amazing @antanddec xxx.”

He later added: “Thank you Dec as well for your donation… Love you @antanddec.”

Standard Online has contacted McPartlin and Donnelly’s representative for further comment.

The pair’s reported donation comes after former X Factor judge Robbie Williams offered to help Royce with his treatment costs.

“Mate I’m happy to pay for your rehab, consider it done,” the singer wrote on Twitter on Friday. “Just be well – we’re all rooting for you x.”

Representatives for X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell confirmed to the Daily Mirror that he will assist the star, while X Factor runner-up Olly Murs also pledged £2,000 to the cause.

“Roycey! Stay strong my friend!” he wrote in a comment on the GoFundMe page. “I’ll be seeing you soon!”

By lunchtime on Monday, the campaign had raised over £12,000.



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